The Juan Soto Shuffle made its way from D.C. to San Diego a week ago, and the MLB fans were beyond shocked. His presence as a Washington National had been iconic, and it’s difficult to see him in another jersey.
Poised for a great year as a power hitter, he racked in 21 home runs, only 8 away from last season’s mark with many more games to play. On pace for his first 30 home run season since 2019, he may be on the way to career numbers.
However, with the changing environment, circumstances change. However, I believe his circumstances changed for the better, and he’s going to bring the Padres to years of success.
Read more about Soto.
Padres Hitting Woes
Although the Padres have been a fairly successful team this year, they’ve struggled at the plate. They are in the bottom half of the league in batting average, and even lower in total home runs.
This is where Soto makes his immediate impact. He already has over 20 home runs on the year, and in Washington his batting average was almost .250. In the last 6 games with the Padres, he has batted .300, bumping up the team’s numbers.
The power hitting may be the most important aspect of this deal. Soto has more home runs this year than anyone on the Padres roster, which may prove very useful. He has not hit one yet for his new squad, but it’s looking promising.
Image & Likeness
Clearly, Soto is a valuable hitter (and underrated fielder) for the Padres, but what else makes him so special? It is without a doubt his name value.
Soto is one of the most popular players in baseball. People who aren’t fans of the sports know only a couple of names. Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Juan Soto (among many) are quite possibly the most recognizable names in the sport.
Him, paired with a healthy Fernando Tatis Jr, will be one of the best young duos in the sport. This will bring marketing, more viewers, and packed stadiums. San Diego is already 5th in the league in attendance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they shot up to the top 3.
Final Thoughts
Juan Soto is undoubtedly one of the best players in baseball. The 23 year old is outstanding in all aspects of the game, and is one of the most likeable players in the sport.
His addition to the Padres may have been the best possible fit. They already have a good team fighting for playoff contention, their star player is in and out due to injury, but the surrounding roster is capable of maintaining themselves.
With Tatis hurt, Soto can lead this team to the Wild Card. With Tatis healthy, this is going to be one of the most dominant teams in MLB. Juan Soto is perfect for the Padres, and puts them in position for a World Series in the near future.
