Juan Soto, Aaron Judge inseparable duo in American League’s win in All-Star Game
ARLINGTON, Texas — Juan Soto looked out for Aaron Judge on the field.
Judge returned the favor off of it.
The traveling Yankees show, comprised of probably the best duo in baseball, was inseparable Tuesday, when the first-year teammates played and acted as if they have spent decades together in the same outfield.
Soto ensured Judge got an at-bat he craved before Judge ensured Soto could dodge a question he did not want to face about his future, the two complementing each other well in an eventual 5-3 American League victory in the All-Star Game at Globe Life Field.
All stars are not created equal.
Shohei Ohtani, whose three-run home run in the third inning gave the National League an early lead, is in his own stratosphere.
Paul Skenes, the rising star who has burst onto the scene at just 22, is growing in stature.
Judge and Soto have been known as two of the best hitters in the game, in a class sparsely filled with maybe a handful, for much of their careers.
The way they have gravitated toward each other might be turning their solo acts into co-star performances.
“It was an unbelievable experience,” said Soto, who was starting his first All-Star Game — and first next to Judge. “It’s once in a [life]time that you get the chance to go [to the All-Star Game] for a first time with one of the best players in the league.”
Immediately, Judge needed Soto’s help, and immediately he got it.
Much of the talk leading into the night revolved around a matchup that was not assured: Skenes, a rookie flamethrower, would only pitch one inning, and Judge was hitting cleanup for the American League.
After two quick outs from Steven Kwan (a pop-out) and Gunnar Henderson (a tap-out), it was all up to Soto.
A player who probably has the best batting eye in baseball faced a 2-2 count.
“Definitely after two strikes, I was trying to work the at-bat because I wanted to make sure he faced him, too,” said Soto, who fouled off a 100.1 mph fastball before taking two balls and a walk. He glanced back at Judge, who approached the plate. “Just looked at him and said: ‘Hey, come on, it’s all you.’ ”
Judge’s moment had arrived, but it was over just as soon.
The Yankees captain saw a first-pitch, 99.7 mph fastball and couldn’t lift it, grounding out to end the inning.
The moment was not to be, but Soto provided the chance that Judge — and Skenes, who admitted he wanted to face the Yankees home run king — wanted.
After watching out for his buddy, Soto watched out for his team.
Down 3-0 after Ohtani’s blast in the top of the third, the American League turned to Soto in the bottom of the inning.
Marcus Semien and Kwan reached against Giants starter Logan Webb, setting the table for Soto’s ground shot into right-center that drove in two.
Soto never stopped running and watched center fielder Teoscar Hernandez wait for the ball to reach him, enabling Soto to turn a single into a two-run double.
He then came around to score on David Fry’s single before the AL pulled ahead in the fifth on a two-run shot from Boston’s Jarren Duran.
The American League clung to the lead, and Judge and Soto clung to each other.
They were both affixed with microphones for the Fox broadcast, then left the game together after four innings before conducting their interviews with media side by side.
They smiled.
They laughed.
They were asked if the two wanted to spend more than this one season together.
Soto, a to-be free agent whom Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner already has said he wants to bring back on what likely will be a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars, looked down.
It was Judge’s turn to help his buddy out.
“Let’s just get through this year,” Judge interjected. “The main goal’s to win a championship. … We’ll focus on that, get to the rest later.”