"Going to feel like the World Baseball Classic every night" - Juan Soto set to embrace Bronx's Dominican community love upon Yankees home debut
Juan Soto is from the Dominican Republic. His new team has a very strong Dominican community nearby and in the fan base. It seems like a match made in heaven, and it should provide some really fun moments this season for the slugger. He's anticipating as much.
Chris Kirschner of the Athletic asked Soto about this, and he said:
"I think it’s going to be great. It’s going to be really exciting. It’s going to be unbelievable. It’s going to feel like the World Baseball Classic every night."
Soto has ample experience in the World Baseball Classic, having been a starring player for the Dominican team last year when the tournament hit Miami. It was, by all accounts, an electric atmosphere.
New York Yankees fans are known for being extremely passionate, and Soto expects to have an electric atmosphere every single time he goes out there for them.
Soto also revealed that he was pleased when he heard it was the Yankees that were trying to poach him from the San Diego Padres:
"It was a great team and great organization. They have great people over there. When you hear good things and they’re trying to win, too, it just feels good. When they started talking about it, I was happy because it was another team that is going to have a chance to win a championship."
This may only be a one-year rental with the outfielder slated for free agency next year, but the two sides are clearly pretty pleased to be together. Soto has already made an impact, hitting a home run and a double in Spring Training.
Juan Soto excited to bat near Aaron Judge
Manager Aaron Boone is expected to put Juan Soto in the two spot in the lineup, a spot previously held by Aaron Judge for the better part of the last seven seasons. It's a change that some fans are welcoming, and Soto is excited about the placement.
Whether he bats before or after Judge, he believes it's to his advantage:
"Who doesn’t want to hit in front of Judge? That’s the best. You’re gonna get more chances to hit. You’re gonna get more pitches in the strike zone. I think it’s going to be great hitting in front of him, or even behind him."
The Yankees are certainly hoping these two can play off one another and be catalysts to the offense.