Jul 25, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto (22) bats during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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Juan Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres at the deadline. After having some time to reflect, he feels positive about the move.
Soto was dealt from the San Diego Padres from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline. He shared his thoughts while mic’d up on ESPN Monday night. Despite initially being sad about being traded, Soto stated, “I’m in a good spot and [with] a good team.”
Juan Soto is mic’d up in the third inning of the Padres-Dodgers game.
On being traded: “It was pretty tough… at the end of the day, it’s just a business… It was pretty sad at the beginning, but now I’m in a good spot and a good team and I got to enjoy it as much as I can.”
— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) August 7, 2022
Soto was highly sought after by several teams, and the Nationals drove a hard bargain for the slugger. It was unclear exactly where he’d end up, but San Diego was always among the frontrunners.
Juan Soto is in a good spot with the San Diego Padres
Soto brings needed power to San Diego’s lineup. In 16 at-bats with the Padres, he’s hit .313/.476/.500 for an OPS of .976. Manager Bob Melvin addressed the team’s need for power early in the season, and Soto was one of the best additions possible.
He’ll be playing alongside Padres slugger Fernando Tatis Jr., who he has a prior relationship with.
Soto is also more likely to make the playoffs with San Diego rather than the Nationals. According to FanGraphs, the Padres have an 87 percent chance of making the playoffs. The Nationals have a zero percent chance, which isn’t exactly surprising.
The 23-year-old slugger accomplished a lot on his own, including winning the 2022 Home Run Derby and being offered what would’ve been the biggest contract in MLB history.
Soto has a much higher likelihood of having team success in San Diego, especially since the Nats were entering a retooling of sorts.
