Juan Soto Reveals Biggest Superstar He’d Like to Play With
Many of Major League Baseball’s top players are gathered for this year’s All-Star festivities. Before Monday’s Home Run Derby, both teams’ rosters are at Globe Life Field for media interactions, with some players prepping for the evening’s main event.
New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto, the 2022 Home Run Derby champion, isn’t participating in this year’s contest but is still an All-Star. Speaking to reporters, Soto was asked a classic All-Star week question: which MLB player he would most like to team up with.
Soto’s response was both unsurprising and intriguing. He named Shohei Ohtani.
“I mean, Ohtani would have been one of the best,” Soto said. “Now he went to the NL and I went to the AL, so it’s been a little tricky. But definitely, Ohtani would be one of them.”
After being asked about Steph Curry and LeBron James playing on the same team with Team USA, Juan Soto is asked about an MLB player he'd like to play on the same team with:
"[Shohei] Ohtani would be one of them – he went to the NL and I went to the AL, so it's tricky" pic.twitter.com/wsziMp4p6e
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 15, 2024
Ohtani and Soto both spent time playing in California, with Soto on the San Diego Padres and Ohtani on the Los Angeles Angels. However, in the past offseason, Soto moved to the East Coast as the Padres traded him to the Yankees, just a year before he becomes a free agent. Meanwhile, Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent.
As Soto hinted, their paths could have easily converged this offseason, whether with the Yankees or another team. It could still happen. While New York is keen on retaining Soto, his upcoming contract demands will be hefty, especially with the Yankees already committed to big contracts for Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have a knack for adding high-priced talent to their roster, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they continued despite Ohtani’s record-breaking contract last winter.
In his first season as a Yankee, Soto is hitting .295/.426/.458 with 23 home runs and 66 RBIs. True to his reputation as one of the most patient hitters, he leads MLB with 79 walks so far.
Ohtani, recovering from Tommy John surgery, has been limited to a DH role but has quickly adapted to his new team. The international star is batting .316, leading the league in home runs (29) and runs (75).
For now, the idea of Soto and Ohtani teaming up remains a fantasy, but what a sight it would be to see them in the same uniform.