Comparisons to baseball’s clutch legends are fitting. Soto’s performance is reminiscent of former Boston star and Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who boasted a .289 career batting average in high-leverage situations and became renowned for his October heroics.

Soto’s clutch hitting also parallels that of former Yankees star Derek Jeter, a Hall of Famer who had a .288 average in high-pressure moments (since high-leverage stats became official in 2002) and won  five World Series titles. (Soto has one World Series ring, earned in 2019 when he played for the Washington Nationals.)

The 25-year-old outfielder’s presence is crucial for Aaron Judge, too. Judge, the Yankees’ main clutch performer, had a WPA of 3.09 last season and has improved to 4.23 this season, significantly above the league average. Soto’s addition to the lineup alleviates some of Judge’s burden, creating a more balanced offense for the AL-East leading Yankees (67-46), who have a half-game edge over the Baltimore Orioles entering play on Wednesday.

With Soto in the mix, pitchers can no longer focus solely on Judge, enhancing the team’s overall offensive strategy. Advanced metrics emphasize the synergy between Soto and Judge. Judge’s WPA highlights his role as a clutch performer, but Soto’s success in high-leverage situations complements this, creating a powerful combination.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has praised Soto’s impact, stating, “He’s about as good as it gets.”

High-pressure intensity sharpens Soto’s performance in critical moments and the numbers confirm it. Soto’s consistent ability to deliver in those situations is more than occasional brilliance — it’s a defining trait of his game. As the season progresses, Soto’s clutch performances could be instrumental in driving the Yankees toward a World Series title, which would be the club’s first since 2009.