Whatever pleas the fans were shouting, whether their rhythmic chants included “Sign Soto” or “Stay with Soto” or “Re-sign Soto,” Juan Soto, the man in right field in the top of the eighth inning, was listening.
Aaron Judge put his right hand to his ear and asked for more. Soto even smiled.
The Yankees’ two outfielders hit back-to-back home runs in the opening innings to seal an eventual 10-3 victory over the Rockies on Sunday, giving Soto his 37th homer of the season, keeping his career high.
Then the chants began, and they will almost certainly continue until Soto decides whether to stay in the Bronx or sign a big contract elsewhere, even though, on the surface at least, he doesn’t seem shaken.
“I don’t know,” Soto later joked. “They [general manager Brian] “Cashman”
That was the backdrop for part of the bottom of the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium.
Soto hit a run down the right field line in the second inning, walked in the fifth inning and then hit the first pitch from Rockies relief pitcher Jeff Criswell over the right-center field fence in the seventh.
Judge hit his 51st home run of the season on Criswell’s next pitch, and three pitches later, Giancarlo Stanton hit a ball over the fence in center field.
Soto became the first Yankee since Jason Giambi in 2003 and just the second player in franchise history to have 108 or more RBIs in the first 131 games of a season.
With 31 regular season games and playoff games remaining, his win tally stands at 109.
His batting average jumped again to .299, while his .606 slugging percentage and 1.034 OPS were his best since the shortened 2020 season.
“The fans are excited,” Judge said. “They’re right to be excited. He’s a great player. He’s done a lot for the team this year. I think the fans are definitely excited to see more of that. But ultimately it’s his decision and what’s best for him and his family. So all we can do is do what we can with the anthem.”
The question ultimately will be whether the Yankees can retain Soto in free agency and outbid anyone else who might be able to do so.
Soto didn’t offer any hints Sunday, even when asked if this season and all that has happened in it has him at least hopeful that a reunion with the Yankees will work out.
“I’ll let you know that in spring training,” he said.
Judge said he plans to spend some time with Soto after the season ends and before the sweepstakes begin.
Washington Post reporter Jon Heyman recently surveyed 13 experts and they collectively projected that Soto, who turns 26 in October, could sign a contract worth more than $520 million, possibly as much as $600 million.
Determining the exact amount and exact location will depend on many factors, some of which will become clear over the next 31 games and the playoffs that follow.
And that moment will most likely include a serenade from fans.
“This is obviously a tribute to a guy who came here with a lot of fanfare and a lot of expectations and lived up to the hype,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously the fans embraced him and he embraced him.”
