San Diego Padres finally thought they unlocked the recipe to a championship ring when they traded generational star Juan Soto from Washington Nationals. Soto stayed in San Diego for a couple of years. However, the outcome was completely the opposite to perceived notions.
In those two seasons that Juan Soto was a part of the San Diego Padres, the team fell out of the postseason with a 82-80 record in 2023. And owing to financial crunch, AJ Preller was forced to trade the generational star to New York Yankees. However, the Padres fans expressed their dissent to Soto during his first visit to the state after the trade.
Yankees Star Juan Soto Heckled By Padres Fans
The New York Yankees traveled to San Diego for a three-game away series against the Padres. It was the first time Juan Soto was returning to San Diego after he got traded to the Bronx earlier this year. However, Soto didn’t necessarily have the best of his time. As he was introduced in the starting lineup, fans at Petco Park erupted in boos, and the heckling only intensified as the game progressed. Reacting to the unwelcoming reception, Soto said he does regret his time at the Padres. The generational star added that he wasn’t able to unleash his full potential and couldn’t show the fans how great he can be when the supporters turned up in numbers to have his back throughout.
“I know I tried my best. I played hard every game. But I didn’t play at my best,” said Juan Soto in the post-game interview. The New York Yankees star, however, accepted that it’s part of baseball and that leading Padres to their first championship in 55 years wasn’t meant to be. He added that sometimes, even the strongest lineup on the paper can fail to qualify for the postseason due to a lack of character on the field. Soto also looked back at the 2023 season when he scored 35 home runs with a .275 average, stating he couldn’t have done anything better to turn the season around. Notably, in two seasons with the Padres, Soto hit .265 with a .893 OPS, with 41 homers and 125 RBIs. However, somehow, it proved to be not good enough for the Padres as they failed to utilize Soto’s extraordinary talent.
Soto Hints At Opting For Free Agency In 2025
Days after New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner expressed his desire to extend Juan Soto mid-season, the slugger took a u-turn. Soto initially said he is willing to hear mid-season extension offers from the Yanks. However, at the same time, he claims his camp hasn’t closed its doors on free agency and is open to talking to anybody.
“Whoever wants to talk about deals and stuff, I’m open to deal with anybody,” said Juan Soto to media after trashing the San Diego Padres in the series opener on Friday. Needless to say, Soto is yet to make up his mind about his future in the Bronx as his deal runs out by the end of the year. The general idea is that Soto hits free agency and plays hard to get with the Yankees.
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