Aaron Boone praises Juan Soto for rarely seen batting skill as Yankees star dominates in crucial win

While the Yankees may have dropped 13 of their last 20 games, Juan Soto remains overwhelmingly popular. On Friday, the 25-year-old once again showed off his offensive ingenuity.

On Friday, Soto went 4-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in his team's 6-1 trouncing of the Tampa Bay Rays in the Bronx. In addition to a double that allowed him to score on an error, Soto laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit in the third. The skipper told NJ.com:

"Soto push bunt-single!" - Talkin' Yanks

Not known for his small-ball credentials, Juan Soto currently has 23 home runs, and also boasts the third-highest OPS in MLB. However, after showing that he can reach base and help his team in other ways, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone praised the All-Star's impact on the victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, telling NJ.com:

“Especially as a left-handed hitter, understanding where he is and with Judge hitting behind him, man, he keeps ‘em honest with that, he’s got a few of those (bunt hits) now and a willingness to do it. And he’s done them all in some really good situations to set us up.”

Juan Soto came to the Yankees via a trade with the San Diego Padres last December. Since then, the four-time Silver Slugger has been overwhelmingly popular with the fanbase. In addition to earning the fourth All-Star nod of his career, Soto's 23 home runs and 66 RBIs put him on pace to hit career figures in both categories.

Due to their recent difficulty stringing wins together, the New York Yankees now trail the Orioles by one game. If the club is to go deep into the offseason, then Soto will need to continue to play an integral role.

Juan Soto consistently finds new ways to confound opposition

After the 6-1 loss at the hands of the Yankees, Rays manager Kevin Cash praised Soto's bunt that allowed two subsequent runs to score for New York. The Rays skipper told MLB.com:

“More times than not, we’ll feed him money to bunt. That’s fine. But that one, it worked out where they got enough guys on base and came up with a big hit. Those two guys in the middle, [Soto and Aaron Judge], it’s very challenging.”

Still comfortably in a postseason position, Soto and company must continue to punctuate their slugging with heads up plays like this one.