Inside The Mets

Mets' Juan Soto reveals which 2 pitchers are the toughest to face

New York Mets slugger Juan Soto doesn't think fondly about facing these two pitchers.
Grant Young|
Aug 20, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) walks back the the dugout after striking out against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
Aug 20, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) walks back the the dugout after striking out against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

In this story:

New York MetsAtlanta BravesSan Francisco Giants

It's hard to imagine New York Mets slugger Juan Soto having a hard time against any pitcher in baseball.

That's not to say that Soto will be perfect, of course, as baseball is a game rooted in failure, especially for hitters. But given how well-rounded a hitter the 27-year-old is, the thought of him dreading a specific matchup against one of the sport's elite pitchers is hard to fathom.

Read more: Edwin Diaz sends clear message about Mets teammates amid free agency

Then again, those who follow the sport understand that some pitchers — especially a select few southpaws — can be an absolute nightmare for left-handed hitters to go up against. The first that comes to mind is Randy Johnson, the 6'10" flamethrowing starter who is arguably the most intimidating pitcher in baseball history, and who is now immortalized in the MLB Hall of Fame.

Luckily for Soto, the "Big Unit" was long-since retired by the time he came to the big leagues. But other southpaw hurlers have taken the torch from Johnson when it comes to being a daunting at-bat.

2001 NL -- LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
2001 NL -- LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks | ROBERT HANASHIRO / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Juan Soto Admits Which Pitchers Are Toughest For Him to Face

When speaking with Ben Verlander over the weekend, Soto was asked the toughest pitcher that he has ever faced, and provided two answers.

"Chris Sale is right at the top," Soto responded, per an X post from Verlander. "Madison Bumgarner, man. He was something else. He was so funky, I wouldn't pick up the ball. I faced him at the end of his career, can't imagine when he was throwing 98 miles per hour."

Soto mentioning Braves ace Chris Sale and former San Francisco Giants legend and three-time World Series champion Madison Bumgarner makes a ton of sense, as both are big lefties that throw sidearm (like Randy Johnson once did), which is notoriously tough for left-handed hitters like Soto.

The bad news for Soto is that Chris Sale is in his division. And he's 1 for 11 against Sale with six strikeouts in his career — although that one hit was a home run.

As for Bumgarner, Soto went 1 for 9 against him in his career with two strikeouts. The one hit was a single.

While it's unlikely that Bumgarner will make the MLB Hall of Fame (despite his World Series pedigree), Chris Sale has a good chance to do so if he finishes his career strong.

There's no question Soto will get some more opportunities to face him before he calls it quits, which Soto might not be overly stoked about.

Recommended Articles

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

Home/News