Though Juan Soto acknowledges his at-bats have changed without “the best hitter in baseball” waiting in the on-deck circle, Yankees captain Aaron Judge believes his former teammate will soon hit his stride with the Mets.

Soto has always credited Judge. When the Yankees first acquired him in a trade from the San Diego Padres, Soto called Judge the best hitter in the game and said he couldn’t wait to hit next to him. After a year of watching Judge up close and benefitting from his presence behind him in the lineup, it’s clear that appreciation has only grown.

Yankees fans delighting in Soto's so-called struggles might be better off focusing on what his replacement has done. Ben Rice has seen a massive uptick in plate appearances due to Soto's depature and the mysterious injury to Giancarlo Stanton.