The New York Yankees acquired Juan Soto this past offseason, and that trade may change everything. Becoming a legendary duo, as the title of this article suggests, takes time though. And if Soto departs in free agency after the 2024 season then he will obviously not become a Yankees' legend.
The Yankees were once a team that was known for signing the biggest superstars. They have displayed hesitancy in that regard over the past few years, but between pressure from the fans and a desire to win their first World Series since 2009, it would not be surprising to see New York either sign Soto to an extension or re-sign him in free agency next offseason.
If Juan Soto remains in New York, then he and Aaron Judge will become the next Yankees' legendary duo.
Judge and Soto's games compliment one another
Judge, 31, and Soto, 25, have similarities in their games. Of course, there are some differences as Judge is known for his gargantuan power. But Soto has pop from the left-side of the plate as well.
Soto and Judge are both excellent when it comes to getting on base, though. Soto even referenced their ability to draw walks while speaking about joining forces with the Yankees' captain.
“We both know the strike zone pretty well. I think it's going to be two walks, or it's going to be two gappers,” Soto said, via YES Network. “It's going to be fun. I think it's going to be great.”
Judge holds a career .396 OBP. Soto's OBP is .421 for his career. It's impressive how disciplined of a hitter Soto has been since entering the league given the fact that he is only 25 years old. Judge has also been one of the more disciplined hitters in the game.
Judge's ability to draw walks has increased in recent seasons. Of course, some of that is due to pitchers opting to work around him. The Yankees' lineup hasn't featured much in the way of star-power aside from Judge over the past couple of seasons.
Now pitchers will need to pick their poison. Judge may bat third this year, which means Soto will likely hit second. And Soto is going to get on base at an elite rate which will typically force pitchers to attack Judge. Working around one star is feasible, but consistently putting two stars on base isn't the best strategy.
Chemistry is key
Judge and Soto have also displayed leadership qualities throughout their careers. They have seemed to enjoy playing with one another up to this point, although their time together has obviously been brief.
“It’s even better than what I expected,” Soto said of getting to know Judge, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “I knew he was a great guy, but I didn’t know he was that good. Everything, his vibe, everything is good. He’s just thinking positive and he’s just trying to win as much as he can.”
Judge echoed a similar sentiment when discussing his thoughts on getting to know Soto, via Hoch as well.
“He’s a New York Yankee. His first year here, I wanted to make it a good one,” Judge said. “I want it to be his best year. If he’s feeling right and he’s doing his thing, that’s only going to take us one step closer to a World Series.”
There have been superstars throughout the course of sports history that didn't get along but still found a way to succeed while on the same team. The Yankees had one of the most notable examples of such an instance when they added Alex Rodriguez to their Derek Jeter-led team.
Jeter and Rodriguez seem to get along well now, but rumors swirled about drama and tension during their time with the Yankees. They still both found success and led New York to a World Series victory in 2009. At the end of the day, however, developing chemistry and a possible friendship can bring the best out of stars.
We don't know what the future holds for Aaron Judge and Juan Soto from a chemistry perspective. There appears to be mutual respect between them, however.
Aaron Judge has another true superstar in the lineup
Soto's presence could lead to even better statistics for Judge, and he's already enjoyed some memorable seasons. The Yankees haven't featured many superstar position players over the past few years.
Giancarlo Stanton has dealt with injuries and hasn't been the same player he once was. The same can be said for Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu.
Adding one of baseball's best all-around offensive performers is only going to help Judge. Of course, playing with Judge will help Soto as well.
Final thoughts
The future is bright in New York. The Yankees' roster is not perfect but their Aaron Judge-Juan Soto duo is set to help the offense rebound following a forgettable 2023 performance.
And if the Yankees are able to keep Soto around for the long-term future, the 2024 season could be the start of something truly special in New York.
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