ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith made a major mistake during Thursday's episode of "First Take," incorrectly claiming that Juan Soto bats behind Aaron Judge in the New York Yankees lineup.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has come under fire for a major blunder during Thursday's episode of "First Take." While discussing the MVP race between Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, Smith mistakenly claimed that Judge has Juan Soto batting behind him in the New York Yankees lineup.
"But you do got Juan Soto batting behind you," Smith said. "They can't get around you a little bit. They got to pitch to the brother, you understand what I'm saying, because you've got Soto waiting in the wings."
Stephen A. Smith's "First Take" Blunder: Confusing Juan Soto's Batting Position
This statement is incorrect. Manager Aaron Boone has had Soto hitting in the No. 2 hole followed by Judge in the third slot in the lineup all season.
Smith's mistake was quickly noticed by social media commenters, who pointed out that he clearly hasn't been watching much Yankees baseball this season.
Stephen A. Smith's "First Take" Blunder: Confusing Juan Soto's Batting Position
"Has he not watched a game this season?" one user commented.
"Just a loud mouth who doesn't know ball," added another.
Stephen A. Smith's "First Take" Blunder: Confusing Juan Soto's Batting Position
Despite Smith's blunder, the conversation regarding Judge and Ohtani remains the same. Both players are having incredible seasons and are in line for another MVP award.
Judge is pacing to break records secured in his MVP 2022 campaign, leading the league in homers (51) and RBIs (123). He also has a shot at the rare MLB Triple Crown, which is leading the league in batting average, home runs, and RBIs.
Ohtani, meanwhile, is having an incredible 50/50 season with home runs and stolen bases. He has already set a new career-high with 37 homers and also owns a .421 on-base percentage.
Either way, both Judge and Ohtani are in line to win another MVP for their career resume. But for Judge, it isn't because Soto has been hitting behind him. It's the exact opposite.
Soto's presence ahead of Judge has forced pitchers to go after the left-hander more so they can pitch around Judge. However, this has not diminished Soto's production, as he has set a new career-high with 37 homers and has a .421 on-base percentage.
The Yankees dynamic duo leads the league in walks, with Judge owning 110 free trips to first followed right behind by Soto, who has 109. The next closest hitter is Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber.
Russo, the legendary New York sports radio host, sat at the "First Take" desk nodding his head during Smith's incorrect statement, but he never interjected to correct him.
Smith's mistake highlights the importance of doing research before making claims, especially when it comes to commenting on sports.
