It’s clear that Washington Nationals slugger Juan Soto is a special player.
You know he is something else when he slashes .250/.405/.497 with 20 home runs and a .901 OPS and people talk about a somewhat disappointing season.
That’s how good he is: he has set the bar so high in the past (.968 career OPS) that even a .901 OPS feels a tad low, even though it’s actually excellent.
He is special because he has every trait a great hitter boasts: he has great power and excellent contact skills.
His plate discipline and ability to differentiate balls from strikes is the best in the league: no one beats him at that, and that’s what makes him a top-three hitter in the league.
He is also great because he has succeeded on the biggest stage: he was behind the Nationals’ 2019 triumph in the World Series against the Houston Astros.
Do you know who was on that Astros team that came one win away from a World Series win?
The current New York Yankees ace discussed Soto during the All-Star festivities.
Cole Would Love To See Soto In Pinstripes
“‘If he’s gonna go, I want him to come to us,’ the Yankees ace said,” the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome tweeted.
"If he's gonna go, I want him to come to us," the Yankees ace said.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 18, 2022
Cole is referring to the recent trade rumors surrounding Soto: the Nationals offered $440 million for 15 years in their recent extension proposal, rejected by the player and his camp.
As a result, Soto may get traded, as soon as the next few days.
Per Rome, Cole referred to Game 2 of the 2019 Fall Classic to talk about Soto.
“He backsided a two-strike fastball about 445 feet the opposite way, right out there on the opposite corner. That makes him pretty special,” the ace stated.
Soto can do things no one else can do in a batter’s box.
The truly great players know this, and recognize him as a true star as a result.
Cole wants him on the Yankees because he knows he can succeed there.
NEXT: Matt Carpenter Enters The Break With A Well-Deserved Honor