MLB

New Padres acquisition Soto offers warning: 'I wish good luck to the other pitchers'

By Sports Desk August 03, 2022

All-Star outfielder Juan Soto has offered a dire warning to opposition pitchers following his trade to the San Diego Padres.

Soto along with first baseman Josh Bell moved to Petco Park from the Washington Nationals in a blockbuster trade on Tuesday which has strongly boosted the Padres' world champion credentials.

A two-time All-Star and World Series champion, the 23-year-old Soto is considered one of the best young players in baseball with 119 career home runs, 108 doubles, 358 RBIs, 399 runs and 464 walks in his first 565 games.

Soto and Bell were named in the Padres' starting line-up on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies and could soon be joined by 2020 and 2021 Silver Slugger Fernando Tatis Jr who is due to return from a left wrist fracture this month.

Upon his unveiling on Wednesday alongside Bell, Soto told reporters: "It's going to be really tough to go through. I wish good luck to the other pitchers."

In the live-ball era, the only other players with 100+ homers, 100+ doubles, 350+ RBIs, 350+ runs and 450+ walks in the first 565 games are Hall of Famers Frank Thomas and Ted Williams.

As a 21-year-old in 2020, Soto became the youngest player in NL history to win a batting title with a .351 average.

Bell, who is batting .301 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs in 103 games, added: "It's an exciting time. The time is now for the Padres, so let's get after it."

Soto is batting .246 with 21 home runs, 62 runs, 84 hits and 46 RBIs in 101 games this season.

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