When elite Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes was named the National League's All-Star Game starter, fans began salivating over who he would face. New York Yankees star Juan Soto had an opportunity to step into the box against Skenes, but it didn't produce the outcome he was looking for.
Soto ended up walking on seven pitches, making him the only batter to reach base against Skenes. However, when he got to the plate, the Yankees slugger was trying to make a much more explosive impact, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“I was trying to take him deep,” Soto said. “No lie.”
He did end up swinging at three of the seven pitches he saw. The first two were whiffs while the third was a foul ball. However, Skenes was able to keep Soto at bay despite his home run aspirations. At least he wasn't alone in that regard, as Skenes produced four swinging strikes in his inning of work.
Still, Juan Soto got the last laugh as the AL came out victorious 5-3. His two-RBI double in the third inning opened up the scoring for his team. It was exactly the momentum they needed, as the AL went on to score five unearned runs.
While those runs didn't feature a Soto home run, the Yankees are hopeful he is saving it for the second half of the season. But he'll be ready next time he sees Paul Skenes on the pitching mound.
Juan Soto's impact for Yankees
Soto has provided plenty of power through his first year in New York. With already 23 on the year, he is tied for sixth-most in the major leagues. Furthermore, Soto has added a .295 batting average, 66 RBI, five stolen bases and a MLB-high 79 walks.
The Yankees knew exactly what they were getting into when they traded for Soto. After missing the playoffs in 2023, New York decided to end their postseason-less streak at one. Soto has been an offensive juggernaut since entering the league in 2018 with a .285 batting average, 183 home runs, 549 RBI and 55 steals. He is a four-time All-Star and Silver Slugger as well as a World Series champion.
But Juan Soto is also a free agent after the season. There's no guarantee that the Yankees will retain him, and his contract is sure to be massive as he is still just 25-years-old. Still, the team's plan has worked for now, as their 58-40 record gives New York the top Wild Card spot and puts them one game behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East.
The Yankees were fully expecting Soto to make the All-Star Game. Maybe he didn't picture facing Skenes so early into his career. But once the All-Star break closes, focus will return to winning a World Series. It would be quite the endorsement for New York in terms of keeping Soto around long-term.
