In case you haven’t heard, Juan Soto is on the trading block.
The 23-year-old phenom turned down a 15-year deal worth $440 million from the Washington Nationals, and with Soto’s chances of extending with the Nats looking bleak, the team is now willing to listen to offers on the superstar.
It’s hard to imagine that Soto won’t be traded to a contender, and the Yankees could use some help in the outfield. Despite Aaron Hicks turning his season around, he’s not Soto. Aaron Judge also could leave the Yankees after this season, and Soto won’t hit free agency until after 2024.
But speaking of Judge, he, obviously, loves the idea of Soto sharing the outfield with him in the Bronx.
“That’d be pretty special,” Judge said on Monday in Los Angeles. “He’s a generational talent, that’s for sure. Great left-handed bat that hits for average, hits for power, walks, he’s a competitor, he’s been in big games. That’d be pretty cool, but it’s kind of tough to talk about hypotheticals.”
Gerrit Cole faced Soto in the 2019 World Series, and said his then-Houston Astros “really didn’t have an answer for him.”
Now, as a Yankee, he wants his Bronx Bombers to, as any team should, move “heaven and earth” to acquire him.
“I love the [Soto to the Yankees] rumor… All I can do is, pray-hands emoji,” said Cole, who added Soto is "up there" with "five or six" players he would most want up at the plate in a big spot.
"You’re pretty much going for a mis-hit or you’re trying to get a call or trying to surprise him and make a good pitch on a corner. That’s pretty much your only shot," Cole said in terms of facing Soto.
For now, Soto remains with the Nationals, but best believe plenty of All-Stars are probably doing whatever recruiting they can.
"I would hate to see him go to a team that we gotta play down the stretch," Judge added. "It would be fun to see him be in New York or be wherever he wants to be. He’s definitely a gamechanger, for sure.”