Getty Juan Soto reacts during a June 2 game against the San Francisco Giants.
A player’s only poll conducted by The Athletic reveals that Juan Soto isn’t as beloved outside of the New York Yankees‘ fanbase. One anonymous player voted him MLB’s “Most Overrated Player.”
“Could be a spite pick, to be honest,” the anonymous player told The Athletic. “I feel like all he does is walk and hit singles, and doesn’t hit for power like he’s portrayed. Also not a good fielder.”
The interview polled over 100 players, across 18 different MLB clubs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins took home the title of most overrated with 20.3% of the votes.
A comparison between Chisholm Jr. and Soto won’t align with the idea that they’re in the same tier. Miami’s centerfielder is slashing .249/.316/.429 with 9 home runs and 31 RBIs.
Soto, on the other hand, is putting together an AL MVP case. He’s batting .318/.424/.603 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs.
New York is 46-21, MLB’s second-best record behind the Philadelphia Phillies. While the Marlins are 22-43, second only to the Chicago White Sox for MLB’s worst record.
Stanton Receives Votes for MLB’s Most Overrated
Soto isn’t the only player who was named in the most overrated poll. Giancarlo Stanton, on the tail end of a 13-year, $325-million deal signed in 2014, also received votes.
The former MVP hasn’t been the same in some years. Stanton’s batting .224/.279/.466 with a .746 OPS in 2024.
He’s rebounding from an even worse 2023, but at age 34, no longer fits the bill of his lucrative contract and price tag.
But it wasn’t all overrated talk for the Yankees in the anonymous player’s poll.
Judge Receives Votes for MLB’s Best Player
When asked about the best player in MLB, 8.8% of players polled came up with Aaron Judge as their answer. The league leader in home runs with 24, Judge is slashing .305/.436/.703 with a 1.139 OPS in 2024.
Looking for his fourth-consecutive All-Star nod, Judge is putting it back together for New York after an up-and-down start to the season.
Since receiving his first career ejection on May 4, Judge is batting an otherworldly .421. He’s got 18 home runs in the 33 games since.
Shohei Ohtani took home the title with over 46% of votes. In his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani is batting .310/.377/.570 with 15 home runs and 41 RBIs.
In a three-game series win over the Yankees, he went just 2-of-13 at the plate, batting .154. Judge went 7-for-11 over the three games with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs.
He’s picking up the slack while New York awaits the return of Soto, who doesn’t look overrated as the team struggles with him off the field.
Soto to Return Versus Royals
Soto’s been out since June 6, when he left the game early during a matchup with the Minnesota Twins.
He missed three consecutive games with what the Yankees are calling “left forearm discomfort.” New York went 1-2 against the Dodgers without the slugger.
No longer.
Juan Soto to DH tonight, hit second, Judge gets a night off
Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports that Soto will return to the field in a designated hitter role for the Yankees to start their series off with the Kansas City Royals.
It’s just the second time this season that he’s played from the DH spot. Judge will take the night off, per Kuty.
Kansas City is 39-27, and 5-5 in their last 10.
New York’s hoping the return of Soto will put them back on track after losing only their third series of 2024, and the Baltimore Orioles only 2.5 games back in the AL East standings.