Juan Soto was destined for greatness in MLB.
From the moment he slashed .292/.406/.517 over 116 games as a 19-year-old kid in 2018, we all knew he was going to go down as one of the very best hitters ever to step in an MLB’s batter box.
He was a star for the Washington Nationals from 2018 until the 2022 trade deadline, when he was traded to the San Diego Padres.
A few days after turning 21, he had a career-defining moment in the 2019 World Series, no less.
The Houston Astros had won Game 5 and taken a commanding 3-2 lead, with Games 6 and 7 to be played at home, in Minute Maid Park.
In Game 6, against Justin Verlander, Soto had an at-bat for the ages in the fifth inning.
With the game tied at two runs per team, Verlander made it a point to work Soto with fastballs high and in.
He took one and started nodding, as if he was telling him “OK, I see you, now you are about to see me.”
That’s exactly what happened a few seconds later.
Verlander went up and in again with a 96-mph fastball, but this time Soto disappeared the ball high to the right field stands for a solo home run.
I Think About This Moment Often Juan Soto Was/Is Different.#MLB pic.twitter.com/8q4Wzg6Hox
— Joey (@JoeythebigboSs) January 18, 2023
The game was 3-2 Nationals, and they wouldn’t relinquish that lead.
It was Soto’s third home run of the World Series.
He is a different breed, and he showed it at a very young age against top competition.
The best, for him, is probably yet to come but we will always have 2019 to remember that fantastic at-bat.
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