The Yankees demolished the Tampa Bay Rays 9-1 on Monday afternoon, led by superstar slugger Juan Soto and his two home run performance. Soto drove in four runs, paving the way to an easy victory. However, his comments after the game were eye-opening and could be seen as a challenge to his teammates.
Team Effort Required for Yankees’ Success
The truth is simple: the Yankees will need far more than just Aaron Judge and Soto’s production to win a World Series, let alone push deep into the postseason. Judge is having another MVP-caliber year with a .310 average, .435 OBP, 35 homers, 89 RBIs, and a 208 wRC+. Soto, who is gearing up for a major payday, is hitting .311/.435/.594 with 25 homers and 71 RBIs this season.
However, the Yankees have been volatile lately, and they need more consistent performances from their veterans, which is exactly what Soto is trying to indicate.
“It’s going to take more than two guys to go to the World Series and win it…” Soto continued, mentioning DJ LeMahieu and Alex Verdugo, both of whom recorded a hit on Monday afternoon. The Yankees need their experienced players to step up and make an impact, especially during the postseason.
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Rising Stars and Trade Deadline Pressures
Rookie Austin Wells has been fantastic lately, posting three hits with a home run in the win. General Manager Brian Cashman certainly has his work cut out for him at the trade deadline in a few days. Still, Soto has already been to the World Series and won with the Washington Nationals, so he understands what it takes to push forward and remain consistent. This team has been anything but consistent this year, so they need another above-average bat in the infield, let alone some vital bullpen support.