Inside The Pinstripes

Juan Soto Responds to Yankees Fans' Midgame Plea About Looming Free Agency Decision

New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto spoke out about fan chants urging him to resign with the Yankees this offseason.

Grant Young

Aug 24, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) tosses his helmet after striking out in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) tosses his helmet after striking out in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Yankees improved to 77-54 in the 2024 regular season after defeating the Colorado Rockies 10-3 on Sunday.

Home runs were the story of Sunday's game; specifically, the Yankees' three top sluggers (Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton) hitting back-to-back-to-back jacks in the seventh inning.

This had Yankees fans feeling good enough to start chanting, "Please Stay Soto!" to Soto (and soon-to-be free agent) in the top of the eighth inning, which both he and Judge appeared to get a kick out of.

While Judge and Soto were looking back and forth at each other while the crowd chant was underway, Soto pointed at his chest and then raised his arms, as if to say, "It's not up to me!"

And Soto echoed this gesture when asked about the chant postgame.

"I don't know," Sorto about the 'please stay Soto' chants, per SNY. "They have to talk to Cashman."

Of course, Soto is referring to Yankees' GM Brian Cashman, who will ultimately be in charge of giving Soto a contract that's lucrative enough to keep him in New York after this season.

Aaron Judge — who is already locked down with the Yankees through the 2031 season — was also asked about the crowd chant.

"I do jump in," Judge responded when asked whether he wants to join the chants. "The fans are excited, and they've got every right to be. He's an incredible player who has done a lot for us this year. And yeah, I think they definitely want to see a lot more of that to come.

"But, you know, it's going to be his decision in the end, and what's best for him and his family" Judge added, per SNY. "So we can only do what we can with the chants."

Soto is enjoying a career year in New York. After Sunday's game, he is hitting .299 with a 1.035 OPS, 37 home runs, and 95 RBIs.

He would have a great shot at winning AL MVP, if not for the even more extraordinary season Judge is producing.

While Yankees fans will get to see Soto in pinstripes through the end of this season. they're hoping to see him manning Yankee Stadium's outfield alongside Judge for years to come.

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Grant Young

GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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