San Diego Padres’ Juan Soto performed a bat flip after hitting a massive home run.
Soto, starting in left field at No. 3, went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York City, New York, United States, on Monday (27 July).
Stepping to the plate with two outs in the fifth inning with both teams tied 0-0, Soto took a six-pitch 89.8-mile-per-hour (144.5 km/h) cutter from Yankees starter Randy Vasquez for a leadoff home run over the right field wall. The home run, his 10th of the season, was a whopping 114.1 miles per hour (183.6 km/h) and travelled 432 feet (132 metres).안전놀이터
Even better, Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his eighth home run of the season. With San Diego up 2-0 in the sixth inning, Tatis Jr. hit a massive home run to first base in the bottom of the inning that travelled 113.4 miles per hour (182.5 kilometres per hour) and 439 feet (134 metres).
Soto and Tatis Jr. also homered, giving San Diego a 5-1 victory. MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball, wrote: “No-doubt home run would be an understatement. Both Soto and Tatis Jr. hit incredible home runs. What’s more, both homers came with bat flips worthy of superstars,” marvelling at the performances of Soto and Tatis Jr.
MLB.com noted, “Soto was the first to go. Vasquez threw a body cutter to Soto, but it was a bad idea. Soto had already seen it in that at-bat and fouled off a pitch coming near his left knee.” Soto explained the circumstances of his home run.
“I think I was a little crazy,” Soto said. I missed a good ball and fouled it off. I don’t like that. And then Vasquez threw me the same ball to make me foul again, so I felt a little bad. I put all my anger into the ball,” he said of his home run.
After the big blast, Soto took a moment to admire the pitch before throwing his bat down and letting his emotions show. “There’s no question anymore. Soto is back,” MLB.com wrote, noting Soto’s massive home run.
Soto, who made his major league debut at the age of 19, is still only 24 years old, but free agency is already looming. Barring any major changes, he will be eligible for free agency after next season. Along with Ohtani, he could command a major league-high $500 million contract.
Soto had a rough start to the season. However, he gradually picked up his pace in May and finished the season batting .266 (47-for-177) with 10 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .936 OPS in 51 games.