Orioles crying about Soto shuffle, home run staredown puts pressure on Yankees to win

Maybe a little motivation for the New York Yankees heading into Wednesday's tilt against the Baltimore Orioles? They sure need it after the stinkers they put up on Monday and Tuesday, when they totaled two runs and got shut out once again.

On Tuesday night, the Yanks fell 4-2 in Baltimore. One big inning from the O's (and terrible defense from New York) was the difference. But for a moment there, the Yankees didn't give up. Austin Wells homered for his first of the season to tie the game, and then Juan Soto blasted a 447-foot bomb into the night to cut the Yankees' deficit in the seventh inning.

And that's what apparently caused a stir that nobody realized until after the game. When Soto pummeled the 3-2 offering from Kremer, he stared down the right-hander as the ball left Camden Yards. Orioles fans weren't happy about it, which probably means they've never watched Juan Soto play baseball because they're too worried about all their precious prospects.

Soto was asked about the staredown and said the reason for it was the Kremer was upset with his patented "Soto Shuffle" -- again, even Orioles players aren't paying attention to what goes on outside of their clubhouse.

The Yankees star followed it up with, "I bet he didn't like the homer too." He declined to reveal what Kremer said or did in response to the shuffle, saying, "You'd have to ask him." Here we go. Shots fired. Ready for battle. Time for a response.

Orioles crying about Soto shuffle, home run staredown puts pressure on Yankees to win

More times than not, trash talk completely backfires on the Yankees. It's just the way it's been for a while now. And when it's coming on the heels of a loss, it leaves the team even more susceptible to embarrassment.

Thankfully, though, Soto brings a different kind of edge. He's backed up his confidence countless times already this season and has been the main source of offense that has powered the Yankees to their 19-12 record. It'll just be up to the rest of the team to finally rise to the occasion whenever they feel like it.

This isn't minor-league pitching in Milwaukee anymore. It's the World Series-contending Baltimore Orioles. Wake up and play some division-rival baseball.

Unfortunately, it's the erratic Luis Gil vs Corbin Burnes on Wednesday, and something tells us the rest of the struggling Yankees' offense (again, outside of that Brewers series) may not be up for the task.

Soto will be, though. We can at least count on that. All we're asking for is one fewer embarrassing moment. Just deliver.