Stephen A. Smith faced significant backlash after erroneously claiming that Aaron Judge's impressive season is partly due to Juan Soto batting behind him in the New York Yankees lineup. In reality, Soto has consistently batted second while Judge bats third, contradicting Smith's assertion. This mistake, highlighted during a segment on ESPN's 'First Take,' led to criticism from baseball fans and even Yankees player Jazz Chisholm Jr., who pointed out the factual inaccuracies. Smith's error underscores his history of making incorrect statements about his favorite teams, diminishing his credibility among sports enthusiasts.