It's a Juan-derful world: Juan Soto puts on a show at Yankee Stadium with two home runs
NEW YORK – After his second home run Wednesday night, the serenades in right field for Juan Soto began anew.
They chanted his name, in that sing-song way.
They chanted “M-V-P! M-V-P!’’
“I still think it’s way too early,’’ said the Yankees’ lefty-hitting slugger with a smile, after driving two opposite-field homers a 7-3 win against the Seattle Mariners before 40,224 fans.
“But it’s definitely fun to see those fans going at it every day,’’ Soto said on a four-homer night for the Yanks, including Aaron Judge’s first inning two-run shot and Alex Verdugo’s majestic eighth inning, two-run shot.
Yankees fans showing their affection for Juan Soto
Between pitches in the top of the eighth inning, Soto turned and waved and bowed, and he returned the fans’ affection again during a pitching change.
The right field stands at Yankee Stadium have become Soto City, and its mayor seems to be loving every minute of it.
“I just have to turn around and they go crazy,’’ said Soto, who belted his 12th homer of the year, a two-run shot, into the visiting bullpen off starter Bryce Miller.
“I know there’s a lot of (fellow) Dominicans, they want me to say, and I try to say hi to everybody,’’ said Soto. “But I’ve got to be focused on the game, too. I’m enjoying every part of it.
“You never know how long it’s going to be like that. You try to enjoy every second.’’
Soto’s 13th of the year was a sixth inning solo shot, putting him one homer behind Judge for the team lead.
After Cal Raleigh’s three-run homer in the eighth cut the Yanks lead to 5-3, Verdugo destroyed an Austin Voth delivery to the back row of the right field bleachers.
Of course, that’s Soto-ville out there.
The price to keep Juan Soto in the Bronx keeps rising
Soto’s attachment to New York, and his performance to date, has obviously pleased Yankees’ ownership, but the price tag on MLB’s most talked about free agent walk year player is rising.
“I had no doubt Juan Soto would perform in New York,’’ Hal Steinbrenner said earlier Wednesday, speaking with reporters including the Associated Press at the quarterly owners meeting.
“The market, the pressure, none of that was going to be a problem,’’ said the Yankees owner. “How would he interact with our fans, how would he interact with (the media), how would he interact with teammates were the three questions I had.
“And it’s been great, great, great on those three.’’
Shaking off two straight losses to the Mariners (27-23) to start a four-game set, the Yankees (34-17) received five shutout innings by starter Nestor Cortes.
That lowered the Yankees rotation’s ERA to 2.92, MLB’s best among starters – accomplished with ace Gerrit Cole (elbow irritation) hoping to make his season debut in late June.
Anthony Volpe had another splendid night, with two this to extend his career-best hitting streak to 15 games, while playing another sharp game at shortstop.
But this is Juan Soto’s world right now.
Batting behind Soto, “it’s been fun to watch, having that front row seat,’’ said Judge.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Juan Soto puts on show at Yankee Stadium with two home runs
