1000 hits in the major leagues! It’s certainly not a small feat. That kind of milestone is typically hit by the ones who have ages of experience to their name in this league. However, this time, 26 year old New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto has unlocked that category. After Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, Soto recorded 1000 hits to his name on the MLB level after lining a single to right field against Braves’ pitcher Spencer Strider. However, his historic feat led to endless comparisons with his former teammate Aaron Judge.

Soto’s personal milestone immediately blew up on the internet. And as it did, it wasn’t just congratulations or celebratory takes. MLB fans collectively echoed one name across social media. It’s Aaron Judge. Judge, who is now 33, had 284 hits to his name when he was 26.

Clearly, that’s nowhere around Soto’s figure. Aaron Judge happens to be the league’s most feared hitter. So, when Soto hit that 1000 hit mark, the fans pulled Judge into comparison.

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Turns out, Soto has nearly more than 3 times the hits Judge did at 26. Just so you all know, it’s true that Soto reached that mark younger than Judge, but hey, not faster.

It’s worth noting that Soto got his 1000th hit in his 1010th game. On the other hand, Yankees’ star recorded the same figure in the 2024 season in just 965 games.

It’s all about how you’d like to look at it. Again, if the comparisons are drawn, then let’s note that Soto made his MLB debut at just 19. He was a teenager back then. Meanwhile, Judge made his debut at the age of 24. Those 5 extra years, Judge, helped Soto stack up all star and silver slugger titles.

Clearly, having an edge of 5 years gave Soto a chance to beat many of Judge’s records. Still, both Soto and Judge are among the best in the league. However, the comparisons were still drawn all over social media after Soto’s 1000 hits record.

Judge vs Soto comparisons sparked after Soto’s personal milestone

Juan Soto is officially one of the youngest players to reach 1000 hits. Little did we know that the aftermath would be all about statistical breakdowns. To some, Judge is the GOAT and defend his late start in the league. Others are raving about Soto’s dominance since the age of 19. But is it all about the numbers? It certainly shouldn’t be!

Sure, Soto had an early entry into the major leagues and that does play a role. As noted by an X user, “Well, of course Soto has far more hits than Judge at 26; Judge was 25 when he made it to the Majors and Soto was 19.” To be precise, Aaron Judge was 24 when he entered the big leagues. True, Soto was a teenager when he started playing for the Washington nationals. He made his MLB debut during May 2018. He had an edge for 5 years to get the hang of the league. Cause, Judge, at 24, made his debut during August 2016 with the Yankees.

Well, this one definitely made the Yankees’ nation furious: “Soto already passed Judge all-time.” Well, that’s debatable. However, not so long ago, Juan Soto himself admitted Judge’s greatness. He said, “he’s one of the greatest.” Currently, Judge has a .366 batting average, 26 home runs and 60 RBIs to his name. Meanwhile, Juan Soto has a .248 average, 14 home runs and 37 RBIs. Clearly, Judge is ahead here; however, Soto’s 1000 hits ignited all these comparisons.

Aaron Judge is an MVP, a home run champ and one of the most feared in the league. However, fans can go brutal at times: “Aaron Judge stinks.” Apparently, he has recently experienced a slump. He’s leading the league with his numbers but not so long ago he was 3 for 24 with 15 strikeouts across 7 games. That upset the Yankeeland and made fans go a bit harsh on him. The Yankees themselves are going through their own slump as well.

Too many fans held onto the theory of their timeline: “Well, of course Soto has far more hits than Judge at 26; Judge was 25 when he made it to the Majors and Soto was 19.” Juan Soto got a huge head start in stacking impressive stats. By the age of 26, Soto had 1000 hits to his name, but Judge had nearly three times fewer hits than Soto when he was 26. But then again, Soto got more out of this league than him. Even then, he is leading the league.

The comparisons don’t seem to be ending as of now. There are many fiery opinions but there’s no denying the fact that both of them and their paths shaped their legacy.