New York Yankees star Aaron Judge believes the Yankees have a stronger chance of clinching the World Series compared to their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets. When asked about his former teammate Juan Soto and Soto’s assertion that he had a better opportunity to win with the Mets, Judge expressed his disagreement. “That’s his opinion. He can say what he wants. I definitely disagree with him. I wasn’t too surprised by it; I think that’s where he wanted to be,” Judge stated during a press conference on Monday.
Soto recently signed a groundbreaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. If he chooses to opt out after the fifth year, the Mets can void the contract by increasing its total value to $805 million. Soto praised the Mets, saying, “The Mets are a great organization, and what they have done in the past couple of years shows their ability to keep winning, to keep growing a team, and to try and build a dynasty.”
Judge expressed happiness for Soto, saying, “I think that’s where is best for him and his family. He got a pretty nice deal over there; you can’t say no to that. But I’m happy for him; he got a good deal. He’s going to be in a great spot. It’s going to be great having him in town. We are going to be battling back and forth for quite a few years. I’m definitely happy for him.”
Last season, Judge and Soto were a formidable duo, with Judge winning the American League MVP after hitting a league-high 58 home runs and driving in 144 runs while maintaining a .322 batting average. Soto finished third in the AL MVP race, enjoying the best season of his career with 41 home runs and a .288 batting average, along with a .419 on-base percentage.
Judge acknowledged that replacing Soto is a challenge but is optimistic about the Yankees’ new acquisitions. “Soto is one-of-a-kind, man; he’s a special player. I’m excited for him and his new chapter with the Mets, but we added a lot of new pieces here, starting with Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. Two guys that are former MVPs, guys that are still wanting to improve, still want to get better,” Judge remarked.
He added, “They are going to add such a different dynamic to this team. It really lengthens our whole lineup when you have those guys batting in the middle of your order; a lot of good things are going to happen. You can’t replace a guy like Juan Soto, but bringing in players of this caliber is a significant boost.” The Yankees acquired Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs and signed Goldschmidt to enhance their roster.
