PORT ST. LUCIE — Juan Soto does not need the video.
The world’s greatest at-bat artist has agreed to a deep dive on the seven-pitch epic turn at the plate that sent the Yankees to the 2024 World Series — and sealed the Mets and owner Steve Cohen’s desire to sign him.
I’ve come ready with the footage on my phone to jog Soto’s memory. But with a smile and quick shake of his head, Soto launches right into it, obviously seeing the moment as clearly as if he were watching it on television. Geniuses are like that; after all, Paul McCartney can still reconstruct the story of writing “She Loves You” with John on his father’s front porch in 1963.
Soto’s latest masterpiece came on Oct. 19, 2024 in Cleveland. The Yankees were trying to clinch their first American League pennant in 15 years, knotted 2-2 in the 10th inning of a thorny Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.
Soto’s opponent: reliever Hunter Gaddis, an emerging star. The situation: runners on first and second and two outs.
The plan?
Let’s let Soto tell it. He’s as cerebral in baseball conversation as he is vicious in the box.
Stepping into the box
Soto had batted just twice against Gaddis in his life and had not recorded a hit. He knew that Gaddis’ most effective pitch was a slider.
“It’s two outs and [Aaron] Judge behind me,” Soto says. “So I know he’s going to try to attack me and strike me out — to do his best to get me out of the strike zone, get me to chase. Definitely at the beginning… he's gonna try to attack me. So I was ready for everything.”