Just like he has done so far this season, Juan Soto gave the Yankees all he had on Friday night.
In the first inning, he hit a single to the opposite field to the left, and in the third inning, he hit a single off a bunt, which led to a four-run lead. In the fourth inning, he hit a double to the opposite field to the left, which was a Little League home run, and he also hit a double in the sixth inning.
He walked in the eighth inning to end his night.
“He’s worth the price of admission, to say the least,” said Gerrit Cole, who helped the Yankees to a 6-1 victory over the Rays at the stadium. “What a great hitter. He has it all.”
This was Soto’s second four-hit game this season, but he also had four consecutive multi-hit games just before the All-Star break.
And no one got the capacity crowd in the Bronx more excited than Soto, who was just as entertaining, coming up with different ways to get on base and dancing off third base to distract the pitcher.
His bunt single in the third inning was a nice play, as leadoff hitter Ben Rice walked, followed by Aaron Judge walking to load the bases with no outs.
Soto scored on Anthony Volpe’s three-run double with two outs.
With two outs in the next inning, Soto hit a ball over the wall in left-center field, but left fielder Randy Arozarena misplayed the ball and threw it lazily back to the infield.
Soto ran to third base on an error by Arozarena, and then second baseman Richie Palacios intercepted Arozarena’s throw and hit Soto with the throw to third base, scoring.
The ball bounced into the Rays dugout and a jubilant Soto scored.
And he walked his league-leading 80th of the year.
When asked whether he enjoyed bunting or hitting a Little League home run more, Soto didn’t hesitate.
“Definitely a Little League home run,” Soto said. “That scored a run. He just kept sprinting the whole time and never stopped.”
However, bunt hits were also notable.
“I always look at game situations,” Soto said, “I just go with it. I always keep it in the back of my mind.”
His first three hits came off Tampa Bay’s Zach Eflin, giving him 17 hits in 34 at-bats against right-handed pitchers, with four doubles and two home runs.
But it hardly matters who’s on the mound these days, as he’s 12 for 26 with six extra-base hits and three walks over his last six games.
