"Juan's a special player. It would be fun to see him be in New York" - Aaron Judge talks up Juan Soto as a possible dream trade scenario for the New York Yankees
"Game changer" was the term Aaron Judge used when he was recently asked about Juan Soto. Judge was full of praise for the 23-year-old Dominican star, who just added another trophy to his mantle by winning the 2022 Home Run Derby.
Juan Soto is currently one of the most sought-after players in the majors after rejecting a whopping 15-year, $440 million offer from the Washington Nationals. Trade rumors are now swirling and the New York Yankees are being discussed as a potential landing spot for the talented outfielder.
Aaron Judge gave his thoughts on the subject to reporters on Monday.
"Juan's a special player. It would be fun to see him be in New York."
- Aaron Judge on Juan Soto https://t.co/LgLP7MrMvn
"'Juan's a special player. It would be fun to see him be in New York.' - Aaron Judge on Juan Soto" - Yankees Videos
Judge has been the standout performer for a Yankees team that leads the league with an MLB-best 64-28 record. Along with Shohei Ohtani, he is one of the favorites to win the American League MVP title.
Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Giancarlo Stanton would be the strongest outfield in the league
Aaron Judge, however, seems to have no problem with Juan Soto coming over to New York even though that might mean stealing some of his thunder. "I would hate to see him go to a team that we got to play down the stretch," added Judge.
With Aaron Hicks' recent shin injury and Joey Gallo's underwhelming start to the season, the Yankees are in need of another option in the outfield. Matt Carpenter has been used sporadically in the role but is classified as an infielder by trade.
An outfield consisting of Judge, Soto, and Giancarlo Stanton would be a mouthwatering scenario for Yankees fans, and a nightmare for opposing teams.
Juan Soto's Home Run Derby win another reason the Mets and Yankees should consider trading for him (via @NYNJHarper ) on.sny.tv/MZu7pWA https://t.co/HXOrhHdyDo
"Juan Soto's Home Run Derby win another reason the Mets and Yankees should consider trading for him (via @NYNJHarper)" - SNY
Juan Soto edged out Julio Rodriguez to win his first Home Run Derby at the age of 23. Judge won the competition as a rookie in 2017 and Stanton took home the trophy in 2016. Soto would add more power to a Yankees lineup that already leads the league with 157 home runs.
Soto is currently hitting .250/.405/.497 with 20 home runs and 43 RBIs. He leads the Nationals in home runs, runs, and OPS and is second to Josh Bell in RBIs and slugging.
While the Yankees will surely try to put a deal in place for Soto, these negotiations are never easy. The Yankees have the third-highest payroll in the league. They will have to shift some valuable assets if they are to tempt the Nationals into a trade of some kind.
Highly regarded prospects Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez, and Oswald Peraza have all been named as possible trade pieces to sweeten the deal.
The #Nationals will only trade Juan Soto if it impacts the organization long term and win in the short term. There are not a lot of teams that could match-up but #Yankees #Dodgers #Cardinals #WhiteSox #BlueJays #Mets could if they were willing to pony up approx 15yrs $540m
"The #Nationals will only trade Juan Soto if it impacts the organization long term and win in the short term. There are not a lot of teams that could match-up but #Yankees #Dodgers #Cardinals #WhiteSox #BlueJays #Mets could if they were willing to pony up approx 15yrs $540m"- Jim Bowden
Aaron Judge is also in the midst of negotiating a long-term deal with the Yankees. Once he hits free agency, it is rumored he will expect close to $30 million a year. This could be a factor for the organization when determining if a big money move for Soto is the right long-term strategy.
One thing is for sure, if Juan Soto just rejected $30 million a year from the Nationals, he isn't going to come cheap. The Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2019. With the team playing some of their best baseball in years, this may be the time to sell the farm and take a chance.