Did Juan Soto match Babe Ruth's 98-year-old historic feat? Examining Yankees superstar's otherworldly stats in 2024
Juan Soto has been everything the New York Yankees could have hoped for when they traded for him. He's been one of the best hitters in baseball with an unmatched eye and some improved defense. His hot start has drawn comparisons to the mighty Babe Ruth. Is he truly doing what hasn't been done in 98 years?
Juan Soto has 49 hits, 33 RBIs, 26 walks, nine home runs, four stolen bases, and his team has 25 wins in the first 38 games. RBI has only been tracked since 1920, but since then, there is only one player who has matched Soto's numbers from this season: Babe Ruth.
While Ruth did play for the Yankees (and Boston Red Sox for a bit), this is not just a team feat. There has only been one player to do what Soto has done to start the 2024 campaign out of every player from every team for the last 104 years.
Exploring Juan Soto's epic start
The mindboggling statistics don't stop there. Juan Soto is second among all American League players in fWAR, posting a 2.6 fWAR. Only Bobby Witt Jr. has a higher number at 2.7.
His 191 wRC+ is second in all of baseball only to Shohei Ohtani. He also has a stellar walk rate (14.9%) and a low strikeout rate (13.2%). His .437 on-base percentage leads the American League and is second in the MLB.
The Yankees right fielder is not known for his power stroke, but he is fifth in baseball in slugging percentage, too. His wOBA (weighted on-base average) is third and first in the AL.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that he has been an above-average defender. He has two defensive runs saved after having -8 in the last two seasons. He also has a positive UZR for the first time since 2021. The only thing he's been subpar at so far is baserunning.
It is also worth noting that the majority of those metrics lead the Yankees. They're off to a brilliant start, and it's largely been because of Soto, as it's taken a while for Aaron Judge to really get going.