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Juan Soto Launched Homer Off Scoreboard in Yankees Debut, and MLB Fans Were in Awe

The Yankees slugger's swing is looking pretty good.
Kristen Wong|
Juan Soto Launched Homer Off Scoreboard in Yankees Debut, and MLB Fans Were in Awe
Juan Soto Launched Homer Off Scoreboard in Yankees Debut, and MLB Fans Were in Awe

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New York Yankees

New York Yankees star Juan Soto got his spring training off to a roaring start.

On Sunday, in front of hordes of fans at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., Soto stepped up to the plate and slammed a three-run homer in the fourth inning.

According to Statcast, Soto’s home run traveled an estimated 428 feet before bouncing off the scoreboard, which would have made it a home run in every MLB ballpark.

Fans couldn’t believe their eyes. Yankees fans, in particular, were naturally ecstatic—and perhaps a little presumptuous.

The 25-year-old Soto, acquired by the Yankees in a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres in December, has slashed .284/.421/.524 with a .946 OPS through six seasons.

Soto and the Yankees will start their regular season against the Houston Astros on March 28. 

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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020 and has a bachelor’s in English and linguistics from Columbia University. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. She is a lifelong Liverpool fan who enjoys solving crossword puzzles and hanging out at her neighborhood dive bar in NYC.

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