On August second, the San Diego Padres traded for slugger Juan Soto.
Soto, the 23-year-old outfielder, had spent the first five seasons of his career with the Washington Nationals.
Juan Soto made his debut in 2018. Since coming to the big leagues, he has been one of the most dominant hitters in baseball. Through 573 career games, he has recorded 579 hits, 120 home runs, and 359 RBI.
Soto is a two-time all-star, and also won this year's home run derby. He was also a key member of the Nationals' 2019 World Series run.
The deal to send Juan Soto to the Padres did not come cheap. The Nationals received five prospects and first-baseman Luke Voit.
Before being traded, Soto’s name had been involved in trade talks for some time. Juan Soto had previously rejected a contract extension from the Nationals which led the team to field offers. Ultimately, they decided to move on from their 23-year-old superstar.
Soto has finally spoken out on what his initial reaction was when he found out he had been traded. When talking to reporters, Soto stated, “I cried the whole morning.”
Juan Soto on when he found out he was going to the Padres: “I cried the whole morning.”
He then adds that he knows it’s a business and trades happen. But this further underscores no matter how much speculation there was, it still hit him hard.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) August 12, 2022
Soto had been a part of the Nationals organization since he was 16 years old. Moving on from that team clearly had an impact on him.
Juan Soto played in 101 games with the Nationals this season. He recorded 84 hits, 21 home runs, and 46 RBI.
Since joining the Padres, Soto has played in eight full games. He has recorded 10 hits, one home run, and one RBI.
The Padres are currently facing off against the Nationals. Soto didn’t have to wait long to play his old team.
Follow Us
Subscribe