"Give him the key to the city" - Yankees fans love Juan Soto's use of Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" to foreshadow first home at-bat as a Yankee
The acquisition of outfielder Juan Soto was, without a doubt, the biggest move of the Yankees this offseason. After waiting nearly four months for a glimpse of the three-time MLB walks leader in the flesh, Soto didn't disappoint the hometown crowd.
During the bottom of the first inning of the Yankees' game against the Blue Jays on Friday, a familiar tune foreshadowed Soto's first home at-bat. Jay-Z's 2009 anthem Empire State of Mind, which features vocals from Alicia Keys appears to be Juan Soto's 2024 walk up song.
"Soto's walk up song is Empire State of Mind" - Talkin' Yanks
A familiar tune to everyone in the Big Apple, Jay-Z's widely known track highlights the good, bad and ugly of New York City. After they learnt that Soto had selected the song to preface his at-bats, New York Yankees fans took to social media to voice their support.
A 2019 World Series winner as a member of the Washington Nationals, the hype surrounding Soto's move to the Bronx was palpable. Known for his all-around ability, the Dominican connected for a career-high 35 home runs last season.
"Yeah he's here to stay" - opined one fan
"Amazing! Great taste in music" - claimed another
"This is my favorite walk up song in the league already" - said one commenter
Juan Soto's trade to the Yankees happened against financial constrictions faced by his old team, the San Diego Padres. Despite fielding the league's third-most expensive team last season, the Friars finished with a mediocre 82-80 record, forcing AJ Preller to trim some of his payroll.
Other comments regarding Soto's song choice were as follows:
"Got a tear in my eye and chills watching this man"
"Born to be a Yankee"
"Give that man everything he wants"
Juan Soto aims to play an integral role in the success of the 2024 Yankees
Soto had a home run and four RBIs in the Yankees' three-game sweep of the Houston Astros on opening weekend. Already, the 25-year old has won the full support of his teammates. After his clinic in Houston, teammate Oswaldo Cabrera said about Soto:
"“He’s not just a good baseball player, outside of the field he’s an amazing person too. Everybody loves that guy inside and outside of the field. But when we are in the cage, I’m like a kid just watching a big hero.”
With the wins piling up and fans fully onboard, it's safe to say that Juan Soto's first week as a Yankee has been a smashing success.