"He's been awesome in our room" - Yankees manager Aaron Boone raves about Juan Soto, hopeful to have him in Bronx beyond 2024
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone cannot get enough of Juan Soto. The slugger has been more than impressive since coming over the the Bronx in the offseason.
Soto has started 45 games this season, hitting .302/.403/.517 with nine home runs and 34 runs batted in. He has been a big reason the Bronx Bombers have gotten off to a 30-15 start.
Talks about a potential contract extension have started to surface this week, with owner Hal Steinbrenner opening up the possibility. Boone was recently asked if he thinks Soto would stay beyond this season, and he sure is hoping so.
"Certainly, I hope so. He's one of the game's great players, and he's been awesome in our room," - said Boone.
Boone went on to rave about Soto and how he handles himself. The skipper was especially impressed with just how quickly Soto grooved with guys like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
"Since very early on in Spring Training, I feel like he's fit in really well with the guys. Obviously, he has made a huge difference with our team and our lineup," - said Boone.
Boone noted the difference that Soto has made within their lineup, which is a drastically better offensive lineup than last season. Soto leads the way on the team in terms of average, RBIs and runs.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone impressed with how Juan Soto handles himself
There's no denying that Juan Soto is one of the best in the game right now. While being one of the best, Soto also keeps a level head, which is something Aaron Boone cannot get enough of.
"The way he goes about things, it's been fun to witness for me, it's been fun to get to know him in that way and to see how serious he is about the game. He does such a good job at striking the balance about being really serious about his craft" - said Boone.
Soto keeps his head down, works hard and is a good teammate to the guys in his clubhouse. That is certainly worth the $31 million they are spending after acquiring him from the San Diego Padres.
The Yankees have a good one on their hands, but how long he will be with the club remains a mystery. Soto is on track to be a free agent following the end of the 2024 season.