MLB insider backs Juan Soto's comments that pitchers are attacking him differently

New York Mets Slugger Juan Soto — New York Mets slugger Juan Soto (Photos via IMAGN)

Juan Soto went from the iconic New York Yankees pinstripes to donning the orange and blue for the New York Mets. The $765 million man holds the largest contract in the sport's history, but he has struggled with his new club.

Going into Wednesday, he is hitting .250/.392/.467 across 17 games. He recently stated that pitchers are attacking him differently without having Aaron Judge coming up next.

Pitchers were more afraid of putting someone on with Judge coming up to bat. While some have run with those statements, MLB insider Jim Bowden agrees with what the slugger is saying.

"When Judge is hitting behind you, the best hitter in the American League, I'm going to pitch to you more than if Alonso is there," said Bowden.

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While Pete Alonso is always a threat with the bat in his hands, he is not Aaron Judge. Juan Soto was protected by the best hitter in all of baseball, and now pitchers are being smart about where they pitch to Soto.

"Sure, with Juan, you just got $765 million and Judge isn't behind you?Yeah, I'm going to let Alonso beat me and I'm going to be really careful how I pitch to a $765 million player. So, I think it's accurate" he added.

For now, Soto will have to hit the pitches that are being thrown to him and take his walks when pitchers refuse to give him anything. He just needs to get on base, and the Mets have the talent scattered across their lineup to bring him home.

Aaron Judge responds to Juan Soto's comments

New York Yankees - Aaron Judge (Photo via IMAGN)

Juan Soto's comments were certainly going to get back to Aaron Judge, and they did. When asked about his response, the Yankees captain had nothing but good words for his former teammates.

“He’s got probably one of the best hitters in the game behind him right now in what [Pete] Alonso is doing. It has been fun to watch. He’s hitting close to .400. He’s driving the ball all over the field, driving guys in. So they’re gonna be good,” Judge said.

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Judge is not looking too far into this. He has seen what Alonso can do with the bat in his hands and knows the Mets will be just fine. Soto has time to adjust, and the club has the talent to lead the NL East.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom