Thoughts On Soto And Yanks-Nats Series

Juan Soto checks his swing on a pitch against the Washington Nationals - Image Credit: Cruz Soto/Latino Sports

WASHINGTON D.C. — This is still Juan Soto country at Nationals Park even with a contingent of Yankees fans wearing his name. Nationals fans cheered Soto again Wednesday night as their team took the finale of a three-game series.

The Yankees lost 5-2, Soto during his homecoming was 0-for-12, only part of the reason his team lost a series they were expected to win. Regardless, Soto is still popular in this neck of the woods and with free agency looming, he is expected to command the highest contract for a player in a bidding war with the cross-town Mets.

And also with the Nationals, a young team with flexibility and money coming off the books, they will be in the Soto sweepstakes. One player that can build them to another World Series title, Soto, a homegrown National, has always had a passion for the fans here and remains popular.

But for now, Juan Soto is a New York Yankee and doing his part in the walk year of a contract, teams though with the ability to offer what will be the richest contract in baseball will wait to make their pitch.

Soto is 3-for-last 20, no reflection of the player. The Yankees struggled in this three-game series and the rubber game sent them home once again looking at facing the St. Louis Cardinals in a brief three-game homestand that begins Friday night in the Bronx.

“We’ve got to keep creating as many opportunities as possible,” said manager Aaron Boone. “But we didn’t do enough the last two nights pushing runs across.”

The chances weren’t much. The Yankees once again had to try and come from behind because starter Carlos Rodón struggled and labored through 5.2 innings, six Nationals rookies in their lineup could not be contained. And Gleyber Torres for the second straight night struck out with runners in scoring position in the 9th that ended any Yankees chance of a comeback.

So the emphasis this week was on Soto and his return to Washington and the free agency bidding process. New York, with the Yankees and Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen standing a chance to sign a player who would record the highest contact in baseball, the Nationals are reportedly going to be in the Soto sweepstakes.

But the prevailing view is Soto loves wearing Yankees pinstripes and hitting ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup, a duo that makes it difficult for teams to contain and keep them off the bases of hitting another home run ball.

Judge, the Major League leading home run hitter with 51. Soto, and his reunion with a franchise that did not offer him a long term contract after helping the Nationals to a World Series championship in 2019. Judge was also contained in this series after hitting home runs 50 and 51 Sunday afternoon in the Bronx.

Soto declined a 15-year, $440 million contract extension. The Nationals would trade their young superstar to the Padres, in turn the Yankees this past offseason dealt for Soto and with few disappointments. He has reached base safely in 114 of his 128 games, 37 home runs, 95 RBI prior to this series.

And if it were not for Judge, perhaps Soto would be the Yankees MVP. Though Soto is in that AL MVP discussion.

Three-and-a-half seasons with the Nationals (2018-2022) and international signee. Soto is always remembered here in a city that focuses on politics and policies. He was 2018 NL Rookie of The Year runner-up to Ronald Acuña Jr. The four-time All-Star, Slugger winner, NL Batting champion in 2020, there is no denying that Soto deserves the accolades and a worthy contract.

A scout who was involved with the signing of Soto back in 2018 said to me at the time, “Soto is going to be a superstar for a long time. All the tools and going to make a lot of money.”

The financial award will be a question of how much is Soto worth? And that won’t come until the final pitch of the 2024 postseason.

A Yankees World Series trophy is what Soto is vying for.

“Right now I’m playing for the Yankees,” Soto said time-and-time again this week when asked about a possible return to the Nationals. “I’m happy where I’m at, and we’ll see what happens in free agency.”

OTHER YANKEES-NATIONALS THOUGHTS: You walk around this ballpark that is a half mile from the US Capitol Building and its baseball heaven. The Nationals and ownership of the Lerner family have developed the surrounding area with condominiums and a shopping district. What strikes you immediately is the ambiance of a ballpark that hardly puts emphasis on the Washington Nationals name.

Instead, it’s baseball and plenty of space for fans to venture around the ballpark.

Many come from surrounding areas of nearby Virginia and Maryland, a brief commute on the Metro transportation system that has a direct stop to the ballpark. And plenty of choices to dine before and after the game…

I asked Soto about his impending free agency, and as he stated time-and-time again, “I’m a Yankee and goal is to win here.”

But the fans who still root for him, in particular those who remember, say he is still their number one who helped the Nationals win a World Series title in 2019…

Rodón is counted upon for the Yankees, but Wednesday night he had issues with his PitchCom device that threw off his rhythm and the fastball lacked location that had been successful in his past three starts. The Yankees once again had to find a way to battle from behind in a series they knew could be won.

“It’s tough,” Rodón said. “When we’re down five runs and I’m not really giving the team a shot at winning.”

Rodón failed to notch a league leading 15th win, more so the Yankees maintained a one-game lead over the Orioles who lost to the Dodgers Wednesday evening.

Rich Mancuso is senior writer and contributor for Latinosports.com – X (Twitter) @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

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