Underestimating Greatness: The Unseen Brilliance of Juan Soto's Historic Season

Is it possible that we’re all missing just how extraordinary Juan Soto’s season is? You know, the kind of season that seems to play out in the background while we’re all focused on the big headlines. That thought certainly crossed a few minds on a recent Tuesday night when Soto launched a towering drive into the right-field stands, flipping his bat with a flair that only the best of the best can muster. It was his third home run of the night in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the White Sox, and even Aaron Judge, a man who knows a thing or two about homers, couldn’t help but be in awe.

“That’s who he is. That’s why he’s the greatest hitter in the game,” Judge said, with the kind of respect that only the top competitors in their field can have for one another.

This night was something special for Soto; a night to celebrate his first career three-homer game, no less. And what did he do after receiving all those accolades? He turned right around and tossed a compliment back to the Yankees’ captain, tipping his cap to Judge’s 42 home runs and 107 RBIs, calling him “the greatest hitter in the world.”

“Look at his numbers; he’s unbelievable,” Soto said, almost as if he were talking about someone other than himself. “He makes my job easier. When you’re hitting in front of a guy like that, you know you’re getting pitches. He’s the greatest one.”

And that’s the thing about Soto; his talent is so generational, so indispensable, that the Yankees can’t even fathom a future without both him and Judge anchoring the lineup. With Soto’s free agency looming on the horizon, the entire tri-state area is holding its breath, but for now, no one on the team is ready to think about a world where these two aren’t batting back-to-back.

“These guys carry our lineup,” said Nestor Cortes, who tossed seven solid innings to earn the win that night. “Whenever they’re on base, or whenever they’re up to bat, I like my chances.”

Soto’s three-homer performance was no fluke. He drove in all four of the Yankees’ runs, starting with an opposite-field shot in the third inning and following it up with another in the fifth. By the time he crushed his third blast in the seventh, this time off a lefty, it was clear that Soto was locked in like few others can be.

“It means a lot. It’s really fun, definitely,” Soto said, smiling like a kid who just hit a homer in Little League. “It’s really cool to see it, and even better to get the win.”

With 33 homers and 85 RBIs in just 117 games, Soto’s season is already one for the history books. His 192 wRC+ is nothing short of phenomenal, even if it’s overshadowed by Judge’s eye-popping 219 wRC+; the highest by any player since 2005. Soto is right there among the greats of the past decade, with names like Bryce Harper, Miguel Cabrera, and yes, Aaron Judge, who have all gone on to win MVP honors with similar numbers.

“I feel like in watching Juan, I’m watching one of the best seasons I’ve ever seen. Then I get to watch Aaron right behind him,” said manager Aaron Boone. “I try not to take it for granted. I just know that is one tough at-bat, every single day.”

And then, as if the night hadn’t been special enough, there was another personal milestone on the line for Soto. This season, he set a goal to homer in every Major League ballpark, and with his blast at Guaranteed Rate Field, he checked another one off the list. Now, only Texas and Seattle stand between him and that rare feat.

As the ninth inning rolled around, Soto had one more chance to do something even rarer: a four-homer game. Only 18 players in Major League history have done it—rarer than a perfect game, if you can believe it. Soto stepped up, hoping to join that elite club, but Jared Shuster had other plans. After falling behind in the count, Shuster pitched carefully, ultimately walking Soto on a close pitch, much to the crowd’s dismay.

Still, as Soto took his base, grinning at the missed opportunity, you couldn’t help but feel like this season is leading to something big. Whether it’s more history being made or another MVP-caliber year, Juan Soto is giving us all something to cheer about, even if it’s happening a little out of the spotlight. As Aaron Boone put it, “We’ve seen every bit of that, and probably more.”