Padres News: Juan Soto's Slow Start Has MLB Columnist Worried
Your San Diego Padres have had a lethargic start to the season. They're at .500 through 24 games, and the offense has yet to find its form. Although many experts and fans believe the offense and the Padres as a whole will be fine moving forward, many people don't feel the same way about Padres superstar Juan Soto.
Since becoming a Padre, Soto has not been the slugger they traded for last season. This is his first full season as a Friar, and it hasn't looked any better. The slow start has San Diego fans worried, including MLB expert for Bleacher Report Brandon Scott. Scott wrote a column on eight players here's worried about so far, and the Padres lefty slugger made a list.
It just doesn't make any sense how Soto has yet to find his footing in San Diego.
Soto posted a .778 OPS in 52 regular season games for the Padres last season. Then in 12 postseason games, his OPS was just .727. Fast forward to the start of his first full regular season with the Padres and it's been more of the same, maybe even worse in some instances. Soto, lauded as one of the great hitters of his generation, is slashing .176.351/.378 for a .729 OPS. It could be worse, but pales in comparison to his .942 career mark. Perhaps just as concerning is Soto blaming the pitch clock because he supposedly does not have enough time between the on-deck circle and plate appearances. The rules aren't going anywhere, so it's worrisome if Soto continues failing to make this adjustment.
The numbers are not Soto-like at all. Through his short but successful career, the two-time All-star is a career .283 hitter and has a .942 OPS. With the Friars, he only has a .770 OPS and 10 home runs in 76 games. The slugging and power are not there, and it's a bit concerning.
Soto is one of the best ball players in the world, and he's only 24 years old. However, he has yet to play like it since landing in San Diego, and they will need him to to make a championship run.
Juan has expressed his frustrations with the pitch clock, but that will need to be something he needs to get adjusted to. He better figure it out soon, as he will be searching for a mega contract soon.
