Umpire denies Juan Soto timeout, hands Yankees star strikeout instead

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During Sunday’s clash with the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees’ Juan Soto faced a contentious moment in the eighth inning. With two strikes against him, the slugger attempted to call for a timeout, but home plate umpire Chris Conroy denied the request. As a result, Braves pitcher Joe Jimenez delivered a pitch down the middle while Juan Soto was turned away, leading to a strikeout.

Juan Soto’s appeal to the umpiring crew to reconsider it was unsuccessful, and he returned to the dugout visibly frustrated. Replay footage suggested that Jimenez might have already begun his wind-up when the Yankees star called for the timeout, though the timing appeared very close.

Per baseball regulations, a batter can request one timeout per plate appearance, but it must be done before the pitcher initiates their delivery.

Following the Braves’ 3-1 win, Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed the incident. He stated that the umpire believed the pitcher had started his motion when Juan Soto called for time. Boone, having reviewed the play, acknowledged that while it was a close call. But he felt Juan Soto had made his request before Jimenez had fully risen up.

“Yeah, he said he had started up by the time he called time,” the Yankees manager told. “I looked at it—it’s close. I get it from Chris’ standpoint, it’s really close, but he did say it before he rose up.”

Fans are divided over Juan Soto’s timeout call

Juan Soto in limelight as Yankees meet Mets

As the Subway Series approaches, Juan Soto’s stellar .339 average and 11 home runs in 33 games at Citi Field take center stage. The Yankees slugger’s impending free agency adds intrigue to the crosstown rivalry, with Mets fans likely conflicted between rooting against him now and imagining him in their lineup for years to come.

The potential offseason bidding war for Juan Soto could overshadow this week’s on-field action. However, the Yankees’ immediate focus remains on reversing their recent slide, having dropped three consecutive series to AL East rivals and the Braves.

Speculation swirls about Mets owner Steve Cohen’s offseason plans. Some Yankees supporters might paradoxically hope for Mets’ success, fearing that a disappointing season could spur Cohen to aggressively pursue top talent like Juan Soto.

As the teams prepare to face off for the first time this regular season, his performance and future loom large over the Subway Series atmosphere.

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