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As the New York Mets take on the Athletics on Friday night, it will be another chance for fans to witness star Juan Soto in action as he is in the midst of his first season with his new team. After Soto went from the New York Yankees to the Mets, he's bringing his elite hitting to the team which deals with a certain approach that led to major success as he explains it in detail.
In an interview with MLB.com's David Adler, Soto talked about the two-strike approach that he learned as a rookie with the Washington Nationals, but in the minor leagues from hitting coach Troy Gingrich. Soto goes into what he learned when the count gets to two strikes regarding his stance and how he handles the bat.
“Everything started when I was in Rookie ball,” Soto said. “He brought that to the whole organization. He made all the guys in the organization, they had to have a plan and a two-strike approach — at least choke up the bat. I started choking up, getting lower in my stance, and trying to just put the ball in play. Little by little, I was developing my two-strike approach. From the day I started, I felt great.”
“When I go down like that, it's more about choking up, less movement,t and try to be shorter to the ball,” Soto continued. “That's the mindset when I get to two strikes. With the foot turned, I can be a little higher, leg kick, and everything. But whenever I put my foot flat, the leg kick is almost like you're not even coming off of the ground.”
Mets' Juan Soto goes into the two-strike approach
As fans buzz around Soto being on the Mets for the start of the season, they're witnessing his greatness at the plate which involves countless intricacies. So far this season through 12 games, he has one home run with four RBIs on a .279 batting average as he's intentional when hitting.
Adler details how when the count isn't at two strikes, his front foot is inward, but when at two strikes, it's straight and flat to put the ball in play. Besides the mechanics, while hotting, Soto has the talent and power to complement it as he said.
“I feel like I have the same power with two strikes or before two strikes,” Soto said. “I just feel like I'll be able to drive the ball a little bit more to the opposite-field side [before two strikes]. I definitely can hit it with power [with two strikes], but I feel like I can drive it a little more and probably control it a little bit more before two strikes. And then when I get to two strikes, I just try to slap it that way. I've hit homers before, like that, but I just try to put the ball in play.”
New York is 8-4 which puts them first in the NL East.
