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Juan Soto expressed frustration over an act that many opposing MLB teams are employing in order to slow down the Yankees' offense.
Aaron Judge is a hitter with immense power and carries the threat of a homerun every time he arrives at the plate, as such he is often walked to first-base as teams look to negate his power.
After Judge was intentionally walked three times during the Yankees' 4-3, 10-inning victory over Toronto, Soto voiced his displeasure with the approach, considering it to be against the challenging spirit of baseball.
"It's frustrating because you want to see him at the plate,'' Soto stated.
"I'm doing my best to get him up there, and when they intentionally walk him, it makes me mad. I want them to challenge him and see what he's capable of."
Although Soto acknowledged that the strategy is "part of the game" and respects that the opposing team is trying to win, he still finds it disappointing.
How is Soto performing amidst Yankees injury crisis?
Despite dealing with a hand injury, Soto continued to perform, hitting a home run and walking twice during the game.
He also gave the Yankees a scare when he slid into second base and grabbed his already bruised right hand in the eighth inning. Although the injury is still painful, Soto managed to stay in the game after being examined by the training staff.
"I'm still grinding with the hand,'' Soto commented.
"It's definitely still sore to the touch. I slid hard and hit the base. It hurt for a couple of seconds but then went away."
Despite the lingering effects of the injury, Soto has remained productive, focusing on his performance rather than the pain.
What is the Yankees' Catcher situation?
There is still no timetable for Jose Trevino's return from the left quad strain he suffered on July 12. In Trevino's absence, Austin Wells has seen a significant increase in playing time, starting nearly every game behind the plate.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone is mindful of Wells' workload, acknowledging the importance of managing his playing time carefully.
"It's something I've got to be mindful of, the long game, as hard as we've been riding him,'' Boone noted before Sunday's game.
"His performance is holding up well. He's taken the opportunity and run with it."