


It is fair to expect Hall of Fame-type numbers from Juan Soto next season.
After all, those are the types of numbers he has put up throughout his career.
It is probably not fair to expect the 25-year-old will use the short, right-field porch in The Bronx to challenge home run records.
Sure, it is possible that Soto takes advantage of his new home ballpark and scrapes a few extra home runs down the right-field line, but he is not the poster child for hacking a Yankee Stadium that is kind to lefty-hitting pull hitters.
The newest Yankees superstar — acquired this week from the Padres for a package that included Michael King and top prospect Drew Thorpe — has a swing that can play anywhere and that sprays balls everywhere.
It is not the type of swing, though, that was engineered for a right-field wall that is 314 feet from home plate.
Soto smacked a career-high 35 home runs for the Padres last season, and contrary to conventional wisdom, he likely would have wound up with fewer if he played all his home games at Yankee Stadium.
According to Statcast data, eight of his home runs from last season likely would not have been dingers at Yankee Stadium if factoring in different wall heights, distances and environmental factors (the ball will travel better in warmer climates).
It is probable that at least a few of his pulled doubles or deep flyouts from last season would have turned into short-porch homers in The Bronx, but Soto does not pull all that many balls.
Soto — according to Statcast — hit 196 batted balls into the air last season, through either line drives or fly balls. Just 49 (25 percent) went to right field.
The majority (86, or about 44 percent) went to center, while 61 (about 31 percent) went to left field, areas that are deeper at the Stadium.
The slugger uses the entire field, which is a strength as a hitter but not conducive to using and abusing the short porch.
Maybe he could alter his approach and try to pull more balls given his new home park’s dimensions, although messing with a plan that has placed him on a Hall of Fame trajectory might not be advisable.
The Yankees have badly needed a bat like Soto’s for several reasons, among them their struggle to find capable lefty hitters. Yankees lefties posted just a .673 OPS last season, the fourth-worst in baseball, even with the tempting right field.
Soto, regardless of the short porch, should solve the issue. In the tiny sample size of seven games and 28 plate appearances as a visitor at the Stadium, Soto has played like the superstar he is, posting a 1.219 OPS with four home runs and a double.
Those homers have been scattered: a shot to right-center and down the left-field line (in 2018); to center (in 2021); and to the second porch in right field (in 2023).