"Juan Soto has changed one of the greatest franchises” - Former MLB player predicts the Yankees star as future AL MVP
The New York Yankees signed one of the most dynamic left-handed sluggers in the league, Juan Soto, this past offseason for a one-year, $31 million deal. The 25-year-old Dominican has revitalized an already stacked Yankees unit, which has had trouble winning important games in recent seasons.
In the recent episode of MLB Now, analyst Joel Sherman and former Mets pitcher Ron Darling sat down with the show's host to discuss some of the most impactful players in the league and players in the running for the AL MVP.
While Sherman picked Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Orioles SS Gunnar Henderson, Darling picked Juan Soto as one of the most impactful players in the season so far. The former 1986 World Series champion with the Mets backed Soto for the AL MVP this season, as he said:
"You know the Yankees have a lot of great players. Last year their offense stalled and this year their offense is good, even though a lot of their best players haven't played, becasue of Soto. I mean Juan Soto has changed one of the greatest franchises, in one year, into a powerhouse because of what he can do.
Darling also talked about the Yankees superstar's nuances at the plate and his influence on the hitters around him.
"It is pure theater, drama, everytime he comes to the plate, everytime he dows the Soto shuffle but it's theatre and its beautiful and he is going to be setting up those big hitters Judge, Rizzo, and Stanton all summer long and he is going to do some great things."
Soto is already a World Series champion with the Washington Nationals in 2019. He had signed with the Nats as an international free agent in 2015 and made his big league debut with Washington in 2018. Soto, having won it all with the Nats, moved to the Padres in a midseason trade in 2022.
He signed a one-year $23 million deal with San Diego and produced an outstanding season on the West Coast with 35 home runs, 109 RBIs, and led the league with 132 walks. The Padres traded Soto to the New York Yankees in the 2023 offseason.
Juan Soto has been dominant so far this season for the Yankees
Juan Soto is batting with an average of .314, has already smashed nine home runs, driven in 34 runs, and has an OPS of .954. He has not only increased the hitting depth but also strengthened the outfield defense alongside Aaron Judge and Alex Verdugo.
He has struck out just 24 times in 159 at-bats, which is a testament to his plate discipline and game-reading abilities.
If Soto continues his stellar start to the campaign with the Yankees, then not only will he be the most probable candidate to win the AL MVP, but the Bombers might get their hands on the elusive AL pennant and maybe even the World Series.