AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 14, 2024

Juan Soto

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Yankees - 5, Guardians - 2

Q. Juan, you joked before the game kind of that you couldn't tell us why you've had so much success against Alex Cobb, but to ask you post-game. So why do you think you have so much success against Alex Cobb?

JUAN SOTO: I don't know. He's a veteran player. He's been in the league for a while. I feel like he's a guy who's going to scare. He's pounding the strike zone, so he's going to give you pitches to hit.

I'm just ready to swing every time. I know he's not going to run away. As you see at my first at-bat, he went 0-2 right away. Then I got another pitch and then drive. That's my mindset all the time. I try to be aggressive because I know I'm going to get some pitches, and he did.

Q. You look at that third inning. You started things off, of course, but what did you think of the at-bat quality of the rest of the lineup as they navigated through that inning?

JUAN SOTO: That's what good teams does. It's not all about one guy, it's about the whole lineup. We put pressure on those guys, taking pitches and getting our walks, getting guys over, bases loaded, making those guys make wild pitches and everything. So I think at the end of the day, it's a team effort, and we showed up today.

Q. You mentioned the wild pitches. When you're up at that at-bat and he's already thrown the two the inning before and he's thrown the two to you, what's the approach there? You have to be extra patient knowing he can't find the strike zone?

JUAN SOTO: I don't try to be extra patient, but definitely try to get my pitch because he's trying to make pitches. Whenever he put that guy on third base, my mindset just changed to put the ball in play, put the ball in play and try to get that runner in.

He made a pitch, and then he miss, and I just take my walk. I trust my teammates behind me, and then Judge came through.

Q. You mentioned Judge. He had the sac fly, but he still hasn't had the big hit, the homer or the big hit this postseason. Can you feel how much you and Giancarlo's hot bats are taking pressure off of him right now and just kind of carrying the load?

JUAN SOTO: Like I said in the past, I don't think he has any pressure. He's been doing really good. He made a swing to right field today, they dive, make a good contact on the sac fly. It's some days where you can find the holes.

So I think he's feeling himself again. He's swinging the bat well, and I think he's going to be fine. I don't think he has any pressure. Definitely, like I say, it's a team effort out there. It's going to take every single guy in that lineup. We can't lean on only him. We've all got to come through at one time.

Q. On the home run trot, what was the significance between first and second when you made the hand motion?

JUAN SOTO: We keep it to ourselves. It's only me and the bullpen. We keep it to ourselves.

Q. Can you give us a hint?

JUAN SOTO: No, I can't (laughter).