juan-soto – Threeunassisted

The Juan Soto Effect on Pete Alonso

Aaron Judge won his second Most Valuable Player Award in 2024, leading all of Major League Baseball in numerous offensive categories. Some of the credit for his monster season goes to Juan Soto, who would hit in front of Judge for most of the campaign. While there is no doubt that Judge will one day go to the Hall of Fame, there is nothing wrong to have some help, as Soto provided last year. One year later, and in a different borough, Soto is helping out another slugger.

Pete Alonso is embracing the Juan Soto effect. Credit: Sports Illustrated

Pete Alonso is experiencing a rebirth, thanks to Juan Soto.

To be fair, as in Judge’s case, Alonso has had great years prior to Soto arriving. After all, he ranks third on the all time New York Mets’ home run list, potentially being the leader at season’s end. However, there was also a dip in production over the last three years going from 46 home runs in 2022 to 34 in 2024. Solid numbers but the sense was that at age 30, more regression could follow.

Not in 2025.

Alonso is hitting .378 and leads the National League in home runs and slugging. This is the Soto effect of hitting in front of him. Soto puts so much pressure on opposing pitchers that it seems as though they are exhausted when it is time to face the next hitter. When Soto reaches base, the pitcher tries to pitch too carefully to Alonso in order to minimize the chance of a big inning. Take last night’s game against the A’s as an example. In the top of the fifth inning, JP Sears had Soto down in the count 0-2. After a couple of foul balls and pitches out of the strike zone, the count went to 3-2. Soto then laced a single, bringing up Alonso. On the eighth pitch, Alonso cracked a run scoring double. He then provided the difference in the Mets’ 7-6 victory with a solo home run in the eighth inning. Even when Soto does not reach base, Alonso’s at bats seem to be easier.

Pete Alonso may very well opt out of the final year of his contract and try to secure the long term deal he did not get this past offseason. That’s a story for November and beyond. Like his effect on the Yankees last year, Juan Soto is doing his job this year: making the Mets’ lineup more dangerous.

The Juan Soto Reaction From Home

Well, my Juan Soto prediction was completely wrong. The last time you read my blog, I stated that Soto would not sign until after the New Year and that he would be going to the Washington Nationals. The closest part of my prognostication was that he landed in the National League East. The New York Mets won the Soto Sweepstakes with a contract that has the potential to exceed $800 million dollars. My thought is this. It’s a win-win situation for the Mets if they win two World Series in five years and Soto decides to exercise his opt out clause. They could decline the option, let him walk, and don’t have to pay all that money for the following ten years.

This man is smiling because he just broke the bank. Photo from CBS Sports

As for the rest the family:

Matthew: He’s the one that broke the news to us. “I don’t even know how to feel” was his text to the family group chat. He’s super confident the Mets will win the World Series in 2025 but realizes more work needs to be done. If the Mets fail to re-sign Pete Alonso, Matthew said it would be a bittersweet goodbye. Many people assumed early on that if New York grabbed Soto, Alonso would be gone. Well, there is nothing from stopping the richest owner in baseball from signing both guys for at least the next seven years. I expect Matthew to follow the Alonso Sweepstakes until its conclusion. If it goes the way he wants, he may even enjoy school for the rest of the year.

Ryan: Disappointment is an understatement. According to him, the only reason why the New York Yankees were in the World Series in 2024 was because of Juan Soto. Now he fears it will be another 15 year drought between Fall Classic appearances. He doesn’t like the traitor label Soto is getting on social media but as I told him, he was going to the highest bidder all along. Even with the defection, the Yankees are still the favorite to win the American League pennant. You know they will make other moves to compensate for this huge loss. You can’t fault the Yanks for finishing second. They actually offered an extra year, albeit at less money. Ryan will get over this once Spring Training starts.

Caitlyn: She offered quite the perspective once the news broke of the signing. “He should have joined the Phillies. We are a team full of bag chasers, he would have fit right in” (just kidding). Her main gripe is that the Phillies have done nothing this offseason, at least until today. The Phillies were not considered a serious contender even if they were brought up in the early stages of the offseason as a destination. When news broke of Jordan Romano signing a one year deal with Philadelphia, she had a one word response: “Finally”!

Juan Soto Will Go to…….the Washington Nationals

The definitive question of the Major League Baseball offseason is where will Juan Soto sign? It is the question that, in my opinion, will linger past the New Year. My household is intently following the news about Soto’s meetings with a number of teams in the league. After all, the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies all have the means to pay the exorbitant asking price. However, I believe none of those three teams will be the one to sign the 26-year old Soto. Nor will it be the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Instead, it will be a team that only a few see coming. It actually shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The once and future National? Phot from CBS Sports

He’s going home.

Juan Soto will sign with the Washington Nationals.

I know that’s not the team you were thinking. However, all of the elements are there for Soto to stay in Washington for the rest of his career. Let’s start with the projected Nationals’ payroll. With Patrick Corbin‘s deal set to come off the books, total salaries for 2025 are estimated to be approximately $87 million dollars according to Fangraphs. Soto, even if his number is $55 million, along with some other additions, will put the Nats’ payroll slightly above average relative to the rest of the league. Another reason why I believe a reunion is in order is the fact Washington did offer him a contract extension shortly before trading him 2022. It was reported that the offer was for 15 years and $440 million dollars. I don’t expect Washington to shy away from making a package available just because the overall number has greatly increased. Finally, it’s a location that he is familiar with and where he enjoyed his greatest team success. He owns a World Series ring with the team and his two highest OPS marks came in 2020 and 2021. Why not return to the place where he knows a World Series can be won?

It’s going to be a long offseason with news about Juan Soto meeting with teams on a weekly basis. It will certainly keep baseball fans interested as Fall turns to Winter. In the end, one team will get the prize. That team will be the Washington Nationals.

New York Yankees: New Hope, New Look

Things have certainly started off swimmingly for the New York Yankees. They have won their first three games of the season against the rival Houston Astros. Making it sweeter is the fact all of the victories have come at Minute Maid Park. After the Easter Sunday finale, it’s off to Arizona for three games against the National Champion Diamondbacks. What a start for the new look Bronx Bombers if they can go, say 5-2 against two of the best teams from 2023. It will certainly set the Yanks up for a season that will make memories from last year’s mediocre campaign disappear quickly.

Oswaldo Cabrera rocking at the plate and rocking new threads. Photo from Yahoo Sports.

Two of the new arrivals into the Bronx have paid immediate dividends. Juan Soto is already 6 for 12 and saved the opening win with a throw to snuff out the game tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Marcus Stroman did not allow an earned run in six innings on Saturday. Returning youngster Oswaldo Cabrera already has two home runs and six RBI’s in three games. His play means that DJ LeMahieu can take all the time he wants to come back from his foot injury. There is another change New York has made not affecting the field of play that makes me smile.

The new road uniforms are a great look. For a team that hasn’t changed their uniforms much over the last one hundred years and are steeped in tradition, these grays are fantastic. They remind of the road uniforms that Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle once wore. Soto’s home run in that classic gray could have been Lou Gehrig going the opposite way in 1931 vs. the Philadelphia Athletics. Not all uniform changes are for the better. Changing the design of an iconic uniform such as the Yankees’ can be a tricky proposition. No need to worry. The updated look is a home run.