New York Yankees' Juan Soto Shatters All Kinds of Records With 3-Home Run Explosion

Juan Soto joined a handful of exclusive lists in MLB's history books on Tuesday night, blasting three home runs to lift the New York Yankees to a 4-1 win over the Chicago White Sox.

Aug 13, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Juan Soto blew up in a major way on Tuesday night, lifting the New York Yankees to victory in the process.

New York was fresh off a historic 12-2 loss to the last-place Chicago White Sox on Monday, in dire need of a boost to remain in the race for the AL East crown. Soto delivered the exact kind of jolt the Yankees needed, starting with a two-run home run in the top of the third.

Soto added a solo homer in the fifth inning, then another in the seventh. Of the four runs New York scored in its bounce-back 4-1 win on Tuesday, all four came via Soto bombs.

The three-home run performance did more than just get the Yankees back in the win column, though. Naturally, the 25-year-old right fielder made history, joined exclusive lists and broke long-standing records all in one night.

JUAN SOTO'S FIRST CAREER 3-HOME RUN GAME! 😤 pic.twitter.com/x6Uepb9Qbm

— MLB (@MLB) August 14, 2024

It marked the 23rd multi-home run game of Soto's career. MLB.com's Sarah Langs noted that only Mel Ott had more before turning 26 years old, recording 24 such performances through 1934.

Soto is one of six Yankees players to finish a game with three home runs and a walk, according to TSN's StatsCentre. Sports Reference's Katie Sharp added that he is the fourth Yankee ever to have three home runs and drive in all of his team's runs in a game, and the first since Bobby Murcer in 1973.

Juan Soto #FunFact 🚨

Yankees with 3+ HR and drive in all of team's runs in a game:

Juan Soto (8/13/2024)
Bobby Murcer (7/13/1973)
Mickey Mantle (5/13/1955)
Joe DiMaggio (5/23/1948)

— Katie Sharp (@SharpStats17) August 14, 2024

Adding in the two home runs Soto hit on Sunday, he has now blasted five homers in his last three games. According to Langs, Soto is now one of eight Yankees players ever to blast five home runs in a three-game span. Darryl Strawberry, Alex Rodriguez and Gio Urshela were previously the only ones to do so in MLB's expansion era.

Soto's 193 career home runs rank eighth all-time by a player younger than 26 years old, per Langs. Frank Robinson and Albert Pujols hit 200 and 201, respectively, while Mickey Mantle is next above them on the list at 207. Jimmie Foxx owns the record with 222.

Through 117 games this season, Soto is batting .306 with 33 home runs, 86 RBI, a 1.042 OPS and a 7.3 WAR. He and his teammate Aaron Judge – who is batting .332 with 42 home runs, 107 RBI, a 1.165 OPS and an 8.1 WAR – are two of the leading contenders to win AL MVP.

Per Underdog Fantasy's Justin Havens, Judge and Soto are on pace to become the first pair of teammates to each have an OPS+ of at least 189 in the same season since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1931.

Aaron Judge has an OPS+ of 221 and Juan Soto has an OPS+ of 189.

In the modern era (since 1900) there has only been 1 pair of teammates where both had an OPS+ of at least 189 (min. 500 PA) in the same season:

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. https://t.co/6RV2RM3TfZ

— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) August 14, 2024

The Yankees and White Sox are set to close out their series on Wednesday. First pitch from Guaranteed Rate Field is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.

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