Sometimes it’s easier to keep working than to give up. For Juan Soto, that is a motto of life. Despite being a generational star, the Childish Bambino continues to strive to become the “best in the game” when it comes to baseball. His work ethic is second to none so is his ability to recognize his flaws. That has mesmerized even the most cynic of the New York Yankees. But more importantly, it has gained the respect of his captain – Aaron Judge.
The entire Yankees clubhouse seemed elated after Juan Soto’s second two-homer game in the Pinstripes. However, the chief praiser among them was All Rise, who was happy to get the front-row view of Soto’s brilliance. But while the Yankees have improved quite rapidly after Soto’s arrival, the Dominican star too has continued to evolve. Aaron Judge referred to this ability of Soto during his latest interview.
“It’s nonstop,” Aaron Judge said about Juan Soto’s training. “Even when the guy is hitting .330, he was in the cage working on different drills, saying ‘I am not feeling this, I’m not feeling that’. Man, I want to feel. I’ll take that feeling. Whatever you are not feeling, I’ll take that. It doesn’t stop. You like to see that,” admitted Aaron Judge. The thing that impressed Judge the most, however, was Soto not sitting idly when the going was easy for him.
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Aaron Judge x Juan Soto in the month of May:
13 HR | .703 SLG% | 218 wRC+ | 1.140 OPS🔥 pic.twitter.com/7b1l5slPWC
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) May 23, 2024
“The guy starting off had a great April. He could have sat on that and done the same thing,” Judge said, referring to the highly consistent start of his teammate. “This guy is continuing to improve. Continuing to try to get better. And he wants to be the best in the game. And that’s showing every single night,” the captain stated proudly.
But while Aaron Judge was highly impressed by it, he didn’t go into detail about what goes inside Soto’s head. However, the Dominican star himself has revealed at least part of his training right before the game.
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What makes Juan Soto special – His talent or his work ethic?
So what sets Juan Soto apart from everybody else? It’s the way he’s always preparing and always finding a way to grow. “For me I just try to focus on what we are facing that night. What kind of guy we are facing and just try to do my stuff,” Soto said in his post-game interview. “Try to work on my swing, get everything settled. Every swing I am particularly thinking of what we are facing tonight. What we will face in the series. Every time I see it ends, another one starts.”
Juan Soto discusses his two-homer night, his relationship with the fans, what it's been like wearing pinstripes and more with @ChrisShearnYES and the rest of the media after the win. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/xnSWZmOd07
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 23, 2024
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These questions force Soto to research and find spots that he can attack. Add to that his uncanny eye and the Childish Bambino becomes a formidable opponent for even the best of pitchers. This is something that the Yankees are getting used to now but are hoping to see more of for years to come. Still, with the extension becoming more and more unlikely – one wonders whether the New York Yankees can conjure up a miracle here.