He was just 20 when he won his first World Series ring with the Nationals in 2019, upsetting the MLB odds to claim the crown. Can Juan Soto and the Yankees justify the chalk this time?
Has it really been five years since Juan Soto was helping the Washington Nationals to the franchise’s first World Series Championship? Maybe it seems like less time has passed because the wound of seeing my beloved Houston Astros lose is still fresh.
Then again, perhaps not enough time has passed to ever forget broadcaster Joe Buck’s constant reminding viewers how old – or young, as the case was – Soto was when that Fall Classic got underway.
Soto was still only 20 years old when the 2019 World Series began, turning 21 on the day of Game 3 when he went 0-4 with 3 strikeouts in the Nationals’ 4-1 loss. Washington would go on to win the Series in 7, thus providing Soto with his first ring.
Now he’s vying for a second piece of jewelry, and the oddsmakers believe Soto and the New York Yankees have a great chance to collect.
New York Tops AL Future Odds
Soto can’t win a second ring on his own, and he wouldn’t even be in the running for one had he stayed with the Washington Nationals, who were recently eliminated from the National League playoffs.
Even if he was still with the San Diego Padres, who acquired him in a 2022 deadline deal from Washington, Soto’s chances of adding a second ring to his bling box wouldn’t be as strong as they are with the Yankees.
New York became Soto’s third major league team about 10 months ago when the Yankees acquired the Dominican star in a 7-player deal with San Diego. The Yankees top the current MLB futures boards to win the American League, presently priced from +200 to +250 depending on where bettors are doing their shopping.
That is half the payoff of what the Yankees were fetching to win the AL back in March, and they have also sliced into the Return on Investment on their preseason World Series odds. New York is running third in that column behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, with the payoff on the Yankees around +500.
Soto is at least with the best team possible to get to the World Series from the AL side of the bracket, at least according to the odds.
Soto Protected by Judge in NY Lineup
Soto is also in the best spot in the New York lineup, or any other lineup for that matter. He has been batting second most of the season in front of Aaron Judge, the American League’s most-feared hitter.
About the only way Soto could be in a better slot in a batting order would be to hit in front of Shohei Ohtani, which would mean batting ninth in the Dodgers’ lineup.
The Yankees have a lineup that has clocked the most home runs in the majors, 220 clouts through September 15th. It is a lineup that has produced the most runs in the AL, coming in at 4.98 per game.
All of those bleacher bombs and plate crossings have led to the Yankees making friends with ‘over’ bettors at top MLB sportsbooks, 79-65-6 O/U/P.
Granted, Judge’s 53 taters make up a huge chunk of New York’s total, but Soto isn’t far behind with 39. Soto also leads the team in runs scored (117), and just recently went over 100 RBI for the second consecutive season.
In short, it’s a lineup that is very capable of pummeling postseason opponents all the way through the World Series.
Yanks Have Deep Rotation for the Playoffs
Soto and Judge will still need to pace the New York lineup if the Yankees are going to win it all, but they can’t do it without help from the pitching staff. The good news is the staff is finally at full strength, giving New York the deepest rotation among playoff contenders.
Gerrit Cole is, of course, the lead horse in the Bronx stable of arms, and he’ll be leaned on heavily to pace the mound in the postseason. He’s been favored on the MLB odds in each of his 15 starts, and it has been rare for him not to carry at least -160 chalk into those outings.
Carlos Rodón and Marcus Stroman have pitched to rather pedestrian ERA, but the Yankees are a combined 35-23 in their starts. Luis Gil, Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt round out the starters, at least two of whom will become long relievers in the playoffs.
The bullpen is full of veteran arms, with Clay Holmes at the back end of the group closing games out. It’s definitely a staff that can support Soto in his search for a second ring.
Playing for a Big Payday
Winning championships obviously drives athletes, whether it’s baseball, football, basketball…hell, even pickleball.
Money is also a strong motivating factor, and Soto could be in for the biggest payday MLB has ever seen this offseason. He’ll officially be a free agent after the World Series is over, whether he and the Yankees win it or not.
Soto will get a huge pile of money even if the doesn’t earn a second World Series ring, but he’d love for it to be the biggest pile of Benjamins ever, and he’ll be playing for both the ring and the dollars come the playoffs.
