Juan Soto Sends Shohei Ohtani Warning Before Series: ‘I Won’t Be Scared to Shuffle His A--‘

It’s safe to say Soto isn’t feeling intimidated heading into San Diego’s primetime face-off with the two-way star.

Padres outfielder Juan Soto is among the most accomplished players in the game. At 24 years old, he already has a batting title, three All-Star nods, three Silver Sluggers, a Home Run Derby crown and a World Series championship. So, it should come as no surprise that a day before his matchup against Shohei Ohtani (the pitcher), the ever-confident Soto is not afraid.

Specifically, he’s not afraid to do his patented batter’s box shuffle against the two-way sensation.

On Monday, Soto was asked what he thought of Ohtani’s stellar June performance. With Ohtani scheduled to pitch against San Diego on Tuesday, Soto made sure not to laud his eventual opponent too much.

“It’s impressive,” Soto said. “But he’s gonna have trouble [facing] this lineup tomorrow, definitely. I’m coming here to play baseball. We all know he’s an impressive player, but whenever he steps on that mound, I won’t be scared to shuffle his a--.”

Juan Soto says Shohei Ohtani is impressive but “he’s going to have trouble facing this lineup tomorrow.” pic.twitter.com/yLwKsf9Dn9

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 4, 2023

Soto has been doing his standard “shuffle” for years, garnering particular interest during the 2019 postseason when, at just 21 years old, he helped guide the Nationals to their first World Series title in franchise history. That brash confidence has been a calling card for Soto throughout his career and has certainly played a role in his success.

How much Soto opts to shuffle when facing Ohtani remains to be seen, but the matchup between two of the game’s brightest young stars is appointment viewing.