Juan Soto ‘pumped’ to hitch stacked San Diego Padres lineup, needs opposing pitchers ‘good luck’

SAN DIEGO — Juan Soto arrived at Petco Park promising to deliver “good vibes” to the San Diego Padres and issuing a warning to opposing groups.

The acquisition of the 23-year-old generational expertise in maybe the most important deadline deal ever energized the Padres and their long-suffering followers, and there is extra to return.

Soto and Josh Bell on Wednesday joined a lineup at present anchored by All-Star slugger Manny Machado. Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is predicted to return from a damaged left wrist inside just a few weeks.

When that lineup hits the sphere, “It may be actually thrilling. It may be actually robust to undergo and I want good luck to to different pitchers,” Soto stated with amusing at an introductory information convention.

Soto was batting second and enjoying proper discipline towards Colorado on Wednesday night time, a day after being obtained from Washington in an enormous commerce. Machado was batting third and switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell, acquired together with Soto, was batting cleanup.

The worth for Soto and Bell was important: rookie left-hander MacKenzie Gore, first baseman/DH Luke Voit and prospects James Wooden, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana.

Washington normal supervisor Mike Rizzo set a lofty asking value final month after reviews emerged that Soto rejected the staff’s newest contract supply of $440 million over 15 years.

The uncertainty over his future started weighing on Soto, who stated after Sunday’s sport towards St. Louis: “I simply need to get it over with and see what is going on to occur. Begin over right here or wherever I am at.”

That place is San Diego, the place the Padres entered Wednesday holding the NL’s second wild-card spot whereas trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by 11 1/2 video games within the NL West.

Soto, one of many sport’s greatest younger hitters, stated he was comfortable Bell was included within the commerce. The 2 had been flown to San Diego on a personal jet Tuesday night time.

“For me, I by no means realized I used to be going to be traded collectively. I used to be pondering most likely on my own,” Soto stated. “Once I realized I used to be coming with Josh, we’ve got an incredible relationship and I used to be extra excited and extra pumped as a result of he is coming and I do know what sort of man he’s and what he brings to the desk. I am greater than excited to share one other clubhouse with him.”

Soto contributed to the Nationals’ first World Collection title in 2019 after which hit .351 in 2020 to win the NL batting title. He is in his second straight All-Star season, and now he and Bell have joined a staff whose playoff probabilities vaulted big-time.

Soto stated all of the conversations with Padres normal supervisor A.J. Preller and his new teammates have been, ”Let’s win, let’s deliver the nice vitality to the clubhouse and the stadium, simply come right here and attempt to win. Attempt to deliver my expertise from 2019 as a World Collection champ to right here in San Diego.

“That is what I will do, that is what I’ve in my thoughts since I noticed the commerce yesterday. That is what we will attempt to do, attempt to make all of it the best way to the final staff standing.”

Soto thinks he is becoming a member of a World Collection contender.

“Yeah, undoubtedly,” he stated. “This staff has every part that it must win a World Collection.”

San Diego final performed within the World Collection in 1998, when it was swept by the New York Yankees.

Soto is underneath contract for 2 seasons past this yr and stated he isn’t occupied with something after that.

“I am simply occupied with profitable,” he stated. “I am simply coming to this clubhouse to deliver the vitality that I’ve, all the nice vibes that I’ve to deliver right here, to win.”

Soto and Bell are coming from the staff with baseball’s worst report to at least one that has vaulted its postseason probabilities.

“It feels very nice,” Soto stated. “It feels actually pumped to be right here. Simply go from a staff that has no likelihood to return all the best way right here, it is an incredible feeling, a brand new vibe, it is a new begin for me. It is a new begin, a brand new feeling to go on the market and provides greater than I’ve.”

Stated Bell: “Clearly we pour our hearts and souls into this sport regardless of the place we’re. … But it surely’s a little bit bit additional gasoline within the hearth to be right here and to be within the hunt and to have a purpose to indicate up a little bit bit earlier every single day to get the work accomplished that we have to get accomplished. I am undoubtedly pumped to have a brand new alternative right here.”

Soto and Tatis, who’s additionally 23, have identified one another since enjoying collectively within the Dominican Prospect League.

“That is my boy, my hometown boy,” Tatis stated on Tuesday. “I imply, we performed collectively since we had been 15, 16. And now we’re on the identical staff. It is loopy.”