Soto joining Judge in AL's starting outfield for All-Star Game
NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge will not be the only starter representing the Yankees at the 2024 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. Teammate Juan Soto will be at Judge’s side in the outfield.
Soto was voted in during Phase 2 of the voting process. He received 449,442 votes, or 31 percent, while Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan placed second with 406,538 votes and will be the third starting outfielder. Soto will be playing in his fourth All-Star Game, and he is 1-for-6 with two walks in the Midsummer Classic.
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“It means a lot [to start in the All-Star Game],” Soto said after the Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Reds. “I’ve been grinding a lot. Finally got my first start, so it’s pretty cool.”
Soto is everything the Yankees expected after they acquired him and outfielder Trent Grisham from San Diego in a trade that sent right-hander Michael King and four other players to San Diego last December. Soto has provided the thump the Bronx Bombers desperately needed to help Judge, and he is one of the reasons the Yankees are battling the Orioles for first place in the American League East.
Entering Wednesday’s game, Soto was second on the team in WAR per Baseball Reference (4.4). He is among the AL leaders in home runs (20), RBIs (61) and on-base percentage (.437). Soto also has reached a career high in average exit velocity (94.4) and barrel percentage (18.3).
Watching Soto on a regular basis has been a treat for Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
"He is a generational hitter. We’ve seen that phrase thrown around, and I think that rings true,” Boone said. “With his level of at-bats day in and day out and when you compare it with him and Aaron back to back, that’s something I don’t think many of us have ever seen. [Soto is going to have] a quality of at-bat as you are going to face anywhere, anytime. Just his understanding of who he is in the batter’s box is pretty impressive.”
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The Midsummer Classic will take place July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Judge bypassed the second phase of voting and earned an automatic starting assignment at the Midsummer Classic after leading the American League in voting during Phase 1.
“He is an All-Star. He is an amazing player,” Soto said of Judge. “I’m more than happy to share the field with him every day, and now at the All-Star Game, it will be even better.”