Aaron Judge gets asked absurd Juan Soto question after Yankees score 20 runs

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees have answered enough questions about Juan Soto. It's been nearly four months since Soto spurned the Yankees and signed with the Mets. Obviously, we know it's a talking point to some degree, but should it be one after a 20-9 victory in which the Yankees set a franchise record with nine home runs in a single game?

That was the case after New York's win over the Brewers on Saturday. Aaron Judge, who belted three home runs and was part of the trio that made MLB history against former Yankee Nestor Cortes, was asked about Soto's departure, the questions it created in the lineup, and how the lineup has responded.

Well, we have a small sample size of 24 runs in the first two games with the at-bats looking competitive and productive against a very solid Milwaukee pitching staff, but there's there's no conclusion to draw. The fast start is nice, but it hardly tells the entire story, and it won't for another couple months.

And even if it did ... how much longer is Soto's ghost going to be kept alive with questions from the media? Unless the Yankees are playing the Mets or if these two teams are in the playoffs, shouldn't we simply just move on from this?

Soto was a Yankee for one year; it's not like he was intrinsic to the fabric of the organization. The Yankees also pivoted efficiently after he left, clearly knowing this was a likely outcome after they traded for him the previous December.

Yankees' 20-9 victory still elicits questions about Juan Soto that Aaron Judge has to answer

Judge has issued a version of this response for a month and a half now. Soto is Soto. There is no one-for-one replacement. But it's evident the Yankees went in a completely different direction to address their personnel when they knew their fate.

They prioritized athleticism, flexibility and defense. In the early going, we still don't know if it worked. They made five errors on Saturday and have yet to steal a base, with Trent Grisham getting thrown out in a crucial situation on Thursday.

But, at the very least, the Yankees' starting depth seems to be a step in a refreshing direction. That's the only thing we can probably take away from the first 18 innings. Oh yeah, and the fact that Aaron Judge is the reigning MVP. That's a good constant to be reminded of.

Otherwise, the Jasson Dominguez question has yet to be answered. Max Fried's weak debut doesn't solve the Gerrit Cole problem right now. Ben Rice has gotten three plate appearances. Pablo Reyes got a start at third base. The bullpen depth has yet to be tested. Carlos Carrasco was for some reason used in relief on Saturday. Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe are off to great starts, but it'll be a matter of maintaining that.

Whether Soto was here or not, the offensive questions — and overall roster questions — would still be glaring. And yes, we know there will be an urge to ask about Soto whenever the opportunity arises, but perhaps avoiding that when the Yankees are celebrating an historic day would be preferable.