Yankees' Aaron Judge Praises Juan Soto as 'Game-Changer,' NY's Missing Piece

It's still early in the 2024 season, but New York Yankees star slugger Aaron Judge is already singing the praises of star outfielder Juan Soto.

Judge explained to Sportico's Barry M. Bloom why he holds Soto in such high regard.

"He's huge. He's a game-changer," Judge said about Soto. "That's one thing our lineup has been missing—a couple of good lefties in there to balance it out."

Through seven games, Soto has already made his presence felt both at the plate and in the field as New York got off to a 6-1 start. He leads the Yankees with 10 hits and he's batting .345 with a home run and four RBI. He also made a game-saving throw to the plate to preserve New York's season-opening win over the Houston Astros.

Judge is entrenched in the No. 3 spot in the lineup behind Soto, who has not lost his penchant for getting on base as he also leads the team with five walks. The former AL MVP is looking forward to the run-scoring opportunities that Soto will provide.

"I love it, man," Judge said. "He works the count. He lets me see some pitches. It's amazing to me."

During the Yankees' disappointing 2023 campaign, they ranked 25th in MLB with 673 runs scored. Things are already looking up, as New York currently ranks 10th. Manager Aaron Boone also praised Soto for his early impact on the team.

"The world is talking about it," he said with a chuckle. "He's just done a tremendous job immersing himself in our culture, in our room. The guys have embraced him. He's one of them."

Soto is in the final year of his contract, and he has made it no secret that he intends to test the open market next winter. However, a strong year with the Yankees could be enough to entice him to stay in the Big Apple.