Juan Soto, 25, in a New York Yankees uniform, was tight-lipped about his contract extension.
Soto spoke to reporters on Wednesday (Aug. 13) in a video interview about his move to the Yankees.
He was traded to the Yankees from the San Diego Padres last week along with Trent Grisham. The trade came just a year before he was eligible for free agency.
“It feels different,” Soto said of wearing the unfamiliar hat on the screen.
“I had a lot of emotions,” said Soto, who said he was playing a game with friends when he was informed of the trade by Padres general manager A.J. Preller. I thought about my time with the Padres. I thought about my time with the Padres, I thought about Mr. Seidler, who recently passed away, and a lot of the people I was with,” he said of his emotions after the trade was announced.
While it’s sad to leave a team you’ve grown accustomed to, it’s exciting to join a new team, especially if that team is looking to win a championship.
“I’m really excited to join a new team,” he said, “and the first thing I’m going to do is try to get to know the team and my teammates. I’ll try to have a good relationship with the players so we can be together,” he said, adding that he’s eager to get up to speed with his new team.
He was welcomed by several teammates, including Glavier Torres and Gerrit Cole, and is especially excited about sharing the outfield with Aaron Judge, saying, “I want to see how tall he is, it’s going to be a lot of fun to play with him.” “I’m going to enjoy it while I’m here,” he said.
He said “while I’m here” because he’s eligible for free agency in a year. He was extremely tight-lipped during the interview about whether or not he would sign a contract extension with the Yankees.
“As far as the contract goes, I think the club knows who to talk to,” he said, adding that he’s “just going to focus on baseball.”
The “who” he refers to is his agent, Scott Boras. “I’ve been in the major leagues for six years,” said Soto, who is ready to put contract rumors to rest, “I’m going to let Boras work his magic. My mindset is to go out there and just focus on playing baseball and helping the team win,” he said, reiterating that he will leave contract matters to his agent.
Soto has performed well at Yankee Stadium in the past, batting .261 with a .393 on-base percentage and .826 slugging percentage in seven games. He also hit four home runs. He hit a multi-homer game during a visit in 2018 as a rookie.
He said, “I was with my family and friends on the biggest stage. It was a great moment. It was also nice to give the team the lead with a home run,” he said, adding that it was a special moment.
He said he has relatives and friends in New York, including an uncle. In addition, the Bronx neighborhood, where Yankee Stadium is located, is home to many people from the Dominican Republic.
“It was really cool to see them on the other team, but I can’t wait to see them cheering for me on the same side,” Soto said of his new fans.
Still remembering the joy he felt when the Washington Nationals won the 2019 World Series, he said, “I want to feel that joy again,” and he’s determined to help the Yankees win a championship. 월카지노