The first two games of the World Series have treated the Yankees poorly, with two brutal losses including a walk-off grand slam that has sunk this team to a 2-0 deficit. The Dodgers are in the driver’s seat as the series heads to New York, but one thing has been made crystal clear as things stand today. Juan Soto is the face of this team right now; he’s their best player this postseason and the Yankees cannot afford to lose him in free agency. There’s not a chance that this team can contend at the level it has this year without his services, as he’s continued to rise to the moment.
Sure, he may not be the most surehanded defensive player, but he’s one of the best bats in the sport and at the ripe age of 26, there’s no telling what’s in store for Soto after his best season as a big leaguer.
Juan Soto Has Become Invaluable To the Yankees
With a 215 wRC+ and .700 SLG% in the postseason thus far, Juan Soto has been the best player on the team and has done nothing but mash for the Yankees. His offensive outburst has kept the Yankees competitive in this series despite being down 0-2, and the biggest difference between this team and previous squads has been the addition of Soto. It’s another postseason where Aaron Judge hasn’t shown, something which would have sunk this team in the ALCS, but the addition of Soto has ensured that they have a game-changer near the top of the lineup.
No hitter has a higher WPA (1.21) this October than Juan Soto in the 2024 postseason, as he’s delivered time and time again when the game gets close. It’s gotten to a point where Los Angeles felt comfortable intentionally walking him to face Aaron Judge, and the Yankees simply cannot possibly fathom contending without the presence of the superstar outfielder. If this is the last series he plays with the Bronx Bombers, it will be a stain on the franchise and a failure from ownership, but if he stays, the Yankees can become the class of the American League.
At just 26 years old, Soto is just entering the peak of his powers at the plate.
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Whether it was the short porch in right field or the incentive of playing in a walk year, Juan Soto set a new high in HRs (41) while having a career-best 180 wRC+. His power numbers were way up, with better barrel rates and quality of contact numbers in his first season with the Yankees, and that kind of power with his plate discipline is impossible to find. Soto is one of the best hitters I’ve seen from a talent standpoint, and he could hit for more power if he keeps emphasizing damage contact.
Regardless of how the rest of this series plays out, it’s clear that Juan Soto has a knack for the big moment, rising to the occasion each and every time with the Yankees. He trailed just Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in Win Probability Added, and when this team needed him to make up for the lack of production from the presumptive 2024 AL MVP, Soto was able to do that and more.
Until they win the World Series, the Yankees won’t be viewed as the premiere organization that they have been throughout the history of baseball, but they can keep having cracks at a title if they retain their star outfielder. If not? Then the upcoming era of Bronx baseball will be darker and grimmer than it’s been since the early 90s when they were the laughingstock of the sport.
The Yankees are still in this series; teams have overcome a 2-0 deficit before. Their odds aren’t great, but heading back to New York they can get right back into this thing with some wins in the Bronx starting tomorrow. Aaron Judge needs to wake up, the bullpen needs to continue delivering, and Juan Soto will have to keep being the heart-and-soul of the offense alongside Giancarlo Stanton.
Since the start of the season the goal has been winning the World Series, and after two ugly losses in LA, the Yankees have a chance to put things behind them with wins this week.