Former Padres Star Juan Soto Officially Arrives at Yankees Spring Training

Look away, San Diego fans

Look away, San Diego fans. Juan Soto has officially shown up at Spring Training with the New York Yankees.

The big blockbuster move of the Padres offseason has been trading away Soto to New York. While the Padres did receive a nice haul of young pitchers in exchange for the star outfielder, it doesn't hurt to see him wearing another team's merchandise.

Day Juan. pic.twitter.com/wxASD6LvN1

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 19, 2024

Soto was a big piece of what the Padres have done over the last two seasons, but the team was forced to move on after years of reckless spending. The front office entered the offseason looking to shed salary off the books, and Soto was the main casualty in this move.

Trading Soto showcases that the Padres have a long way to go in terms of becoming a true powerhouse team. If he were older, it would be more justified, but at age 25, losing him now is a tough pill to swallow. 

Soto was spectacular last season for the Padres despite all the other struggles that the team saw. He played in all 162 games for San Diego, hitting .275 with 35 home runs and 109 runs batted in. 

He was the reason the Padres stayed alive in the playoff race for so long, and many fans didn't want to see him go. The Padres have moved on from Soto, and the new season brings new excitement. 

However, it's hard not to imagine what this team could have looked like with him at the helm. Nobody expected him to leave the team so soon, but for now, trusting the front office is the only way to go about it all.