“It’s definitely different”- Mets’ Juan Soto opens up about pitching changes after he left Yankees

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 16, 2025, 08:31 IST

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Juan Soto, formerly of the Yankees and now with the Mets, believes pitchers are approaching him differently without Aaron Judge batting behind him. Soto suggests he received more strikes when Judge followed him. Judge, while acknowledging Soto's unique talent, expressed confidence in Soto's ability to adjust and praised Pete Alonso as a strong protector in the lineup.

“It’s definitely different”- Mets’ Juan Soto opens up about pitching changes after he left Yankees

Mets’ Juan Soto opens up about pitching changes after he left Yankees (Image Source: Getty)

Former New York Yankees star Juan Soto, who was traded to the New York Mets, claimed that pitchers are being extra careful when they throw him a ball now. He believes it's because Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge, one of the best hitters, is no longer batting right after him.

Juan Soto says he was pitched different last year

With Juan Soto moving to the New York Mets, and Aaron Judge not being there, Soto claimed to MLB that pitchers don’t feel enough pressure, and they’re not throwing as many good pitches to him. Meanwhile, Judge believes Soto will adjust and start hitting well again soon.
Soto told MLB.com:
“It’s definitely different, I had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me. I was getting more attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.”

Aaron Judge said you can’t replace a guy like Juan Soto

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge complimented Juan Soto’s new protector in first baseman Pete Alonso. He said:
“He's probably one of the best hitters in the game behind him right now with what Alonso is doing. It's been fun to watch, He's hitting [.345] and driving the ball all over the field, driving guys in. So they're going to be just fine.”
Further, Judge said:
“I've seen Soto now watching the league for so many years, and getting a chance to see him up close -- he can look at what I did last April for an example of, he just needs to keep being himself. He's going to be just fine.”
Judge later mentioned contributions from Ben Rice, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt as additional factors, he said:
“You can't replace a guy like Soto. He's 1 of 1, That's why he signed the deal he did, and why all the teams -- I think all 30 teams were after a guy like that. But I think this is where I've kind of talked about it all Spring Training, this is a big year for a lot of our young guys to step up and do something big and kind of help carry this team.”
Also Read: Mets’ $765 Million Star Juan Soto Is Ready To Enter Queens In His Home Opener

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TOI Sports Desk

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