Juan Soto was officially introduced as a member of the San Diego Padres on Wednesday after he was dealt to the club in a blockbuster ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Soto's first message as a Padre was a simple one and it was a warning shot to the rest of the MLB. Here's what Soto said, per Bally Sports San Diego.
"I wish good luck to the other pitchers" š@JuanSoto25_ | #TimeToShine pic.twitter.com/HYGmhrsD1h
ā Bally Sports San Diego (@BallySportsSD) August 3, 2022
āI wish good luck to the other pitchers.ā Juan Soto said it with a smile, but it's no joking matter. Pitchers will legitimately be having fits before they have to face this lineup.
When fully healthy, the Padres will boast a middle of the order that features Manny Machado, who was in the MVP conversation earlier in the year, Fernando Tatis Jr. who belted 42 homers last year, and Juan Soto, already one of the best hitters on the planet at the age of 23.
Oh, and they also have Josh Bell, a .301 hitter this year, and Brandon Drury, who has socked 20 homers. That is a Murderer's Row-level lineup.
No one would blame an opposing pitcher for suddenly being scratched from their next start upon seeing it's against Juan Soto and the Padres. They'll certainly be tough to handle.
Which is exactly what general manager A.J. Preller envisioned when he went big game hunting at this year's MLB trade deadline. Preller made it clear he wanted great players.
He's certainly got them now. The Los Angeles Dodgers drew audible gasps when they traded for Trea Turner and Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals ahead of last year's deadline.
The Padres may have found a way to top that with the Jaun Soto trade, though. Good luck to opposing pitchers is right.
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