All-Star outfielder Juan Soto has joined the chorus of New York Yankees players expressing confidence that fellow slugger Aaron Judge will emerge from his ongoing slump. “It’s just part of the game,” Soto said about Judge’s struggles following Monday’s 2-0 home loss to the Oakland Athletics, as per Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. “We’ve all been through stuff like that and slumps like that. It just happens. We all know how great he is. Even when he’s struggling and I’m hitting well, they’re going to keep pitching to me because they don’t want to face him.” Soto’s first month as a Yankee has been impressive, as he entered Tuesday with a .322 batting average, a .991 OPS, five home runs, and 20 RBI. In contrast, Judge has posted a .174 average with a .645 OPS, three homers, and 11 RBI across his first 23 games of the campaign. According to ESPN stats, Judge ended Monday’s action with the ninth-most strikeouts (31) in all of MLB. Despite the Yankees’ strong start (15-8), Judge has faced boos from some fans. However, Soto dismissed any suggestion that his presence is negatively impacting the captain, expressing strong support for his teammate. “At the end of the day, we all trust him,” Soto added about Judge. “He’s a great hitter. When you see him out there, he’s grinding every day. He’s trying to find his timing and his swing.” Starting pitcher Carlos Rodon echoed Soto’s confidence, stating, “Aaron Judge is a really, really good baseball player. In any big situation, I want Judgey up, whether he’s 0-for-100 or 50-for-100. I’ll take Judgey at the plate anytime.” Miller noted that Judge went 3-for-28 with two RBI, 16 strikeouts, and a walk over his last seven games, during which the Yankees lost four contests.
Soto Backs Judge Amidst Slump, Citing Faith in Great Hitter
