Much like he has so far this season, Juan Soto gave the Yankees a little bit of everything Friday night.
There was the opposite field single to left in the first, a bunt single that helped spark a four-run third, an opposite-field double to left that turned into a Little League home run in the fourth and another double in the sixth.
He finished off his night with an eighth-inning walk.
“He’s worth the price of admission, to say the least,” Gerrit Cole said after picking up the win in the Yankees’ 6-1 win over the Rays at the Stadium. “What a magnificent hitter. He’s got it all.”
It was the second four-hit game of the season for Soto, who also had a run of four straight multi-hit games just before the All-Star break.
And no one energized the sellout crowd in The Bronx more than Soto, who is nothing if not entertaining, whether it’s coming up with different ways to reach base or dancing off third base in an attempt to distract the pitcher.
His bunt single in the third was a good play, as it followed Ben Rice’s leadoff walk and set up Aaron Judge, who walked to load the bases with no one out.
Soto scored on Anthony Volpe’s two-out, three-run double.
An inning later, with two out, Soto laced a shot to the wall in left-center, where left fielder Randy Arozarena misplayed the carom and then threw lazily back to the infield.
Soto raced to third on Arozarena’s error and then scored when second baseman Richie Palacios, who cut off Arozarena’s throw, then drilled Soto with his throw to third.
The ball bounced into the Rays’ dugout, allowing a jubilant Soto to score.
And he followed with his league-leading 80th walk of the year.
Asked if he enjoyed the bunt or the Little League homer more, Soto didn’t hesitate.
“Definitely, the Little League homer,” Soto said. “That put a run on the board. I was hustling all the way and never stopped.”
But the bunt hit also stood out.
“I always look at the situation of the game,’’ Soto said. “I just did it. I always have it there in my back pocket.
His first three hits came off Tampa Bay’s Zach Eflin and he’s now 17-for-34 with four doubles and two homers lifetime against the right-hander.
Lately, though, it hardly matters who’s on the mound, as he’s 12-for-26 with six extra-base hits and three walks in his last six games.
