During his Tuesday night’s interview with the Yes Network, Gerrit Cole expressed great confidence in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, the next super duo of the New York Yankees. Cole believes these two players will create numerous difficult situations for pitchers throughout the season.
But does it make sense? According to Gerrit Cole, the high level required by Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is beyond the average in the MLB. Plus, Cole thought that they wouldn’t be saviors in all of the games during the regular season, but they would be a nightmare for each enemy they would face.
“Especially in a four-game series, are you really going to run out of tricks? It’s like watching one of these playoff games right now: bang, bang, bang in the first half, then in the second half, it’s like, ‘Right, where’s the variation?’ And your offense disappears. You can pitch out Juan [Soto], and he’ll take his base; you pitch out Aaron [Judge], he’ll take his base too. But eventually, you’ll run out of situations you can pitch out of, or you’ll be forced to challenge too early. And they’ll get you, especially with those types of guys. It’s not personal, but they’re going to ruin a lot of people’s days. If we can get some production around them, just enough to protect our power engine, it’s going to be suck for the opponents.” Cole said it.
Indeed, if you look at the excitement among the pinstripe nation, the announcement of the arrival of Juan Soto was something astronomical. Although the windows transfer has yet to be perfected, this superstar’s arrival changed the Yankees’ game and put them among the elite team’s contenders for the World Series.
Will Aaron Judge fulfill the Yankees’ fan expectations?
With Gerrit Cole, his college mate, expressing great faith in him and an MLB insider echoing similar sentiments, Aaron Judge remains a formidable force in baseball. Despite setbacks in the 2023 season due to unfortunate accidents, Judge’s prowess as one of the premier hitters in the league remains undeniable.
As he gears up for the 2024 season, Aaron Judge aims to sidestep any mishaps that marred his previous year while setting his sights on a loftier goal—hitting more home runs. According to MLB reporter Bryan Hoch, Judge’s potential for the upcoming season is monumental.
Having smashed 62 home runs in 2022, earning him the AL MVP title and establishing a record for the AL and the New York Yankees franchise, Judge’s aspirations for 2024 soar even higher.
Hoch boldly predicts that Judge may surpass his home run record, fueled by the protective presence of Juan Soto in the lineup and a renewed determination to conquer the 1960s-era concrete barriers that once hindered his pursuit. Supported by Juan Soto, opposing pitchers may think twice before pitching around Judge, offering him ample opportunities to unleash his power.
Despite his absence for most of the 2023 season, Judge’s home run prowess remained unmatched, positioning him among the top AL hitters. Hoch anticipates a similar performance in 2024, with Judge potentially even eclipsing his record-breaking 2022 season. With Juan Soto’s influence looming large, Aaron Judge’s quest for greatness in 2024 appears promising.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Like the author of this article, I expect BIG things from Judge, as well as Soto, with the protection they’ll offer each other against opposing pitchers.
If they remain healthy throughout the season, it’s within the realm of possibilities that they might equal or surpass the M&M Boys’ — Mantle & Maris — combined HR total in 1961 of 115 HRs, which is the Yankees single-season record.
That lofty number won’t come easy, though. Imagine this: Judge hits 60 & Soto hits 53. I imagine we’d all be thrilled with that, but that would leave them with 113 HRs, 2 short of even typing the record!
For those of you who weren’t alive in 1961 or old enough to remember that magical season, the previous two sentences will give you an idea how difficult it is for two hitters to combine for 115.
And Mantle & Maris hit 115 HRs the benefit of Without Steroids, and The Mick, my childhood idol, was tanked a good percentage of the time. In fact, Mantle once told a teammate that he was so hung-over that he saw 3 balls coming in on 1 pitch, swung At The Middle Ball, and hit a Home Run!
Mantle & Maris were so formidable that they became known as the “M&M Boys.”
If Judge & Juan (Soto) approach or exceed the M&M Boys lofty number, maybe they’ll become known as the “J&J Boys.” If that becomes their shared moniker, remember you read it here first. 😉