Padres News: Juan Soto Continues Displaying Slugging Power In WBC

Soto was a brighter spot among a Dominican Republic squad that came up short.

When Juan Soto announced that he would be partaking in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and suiting up alongside his San Diego star teammate Manny Machado, almost every owner of every betting site ran and listed the Dominican Republic as a top-heavy favorite to win the tournament. With those two at the helm of their batting lineup along with Jose Ramirez, the sky was seen as the limit for this group.

However, we watched them fizzle out against Puerto Rico on Wednesday in a match that saw them get outscored 5-2. A lot went wrong with their game planning and execution down the stretch but none of it was at the fault of Soto.

Juan Soto got every stitch of that baseball! 😱 #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/M3PQoRwsnf

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 16, 2023

The 24-year-old superstar hit tied Shohei Ohtani for the farthest traveling home run of the entire tournament at 448 feet and displayed impressive play whenever he stepped up to the plate. Despite joining the team a little later than planned, Soto did not look like his calf strain slowed him down at all.

His production in the WBC mirrored the same confidence he was displaying in the Spring Training games he suited up for the Padres prior to the tournament and it is a very good sign for San Diego fans.

Juan Soto in Spring Training games: 8-for-11, 1 home run, 3 doubles, 7 RBI

Juan Soto in World Baseball Classic (so far): 6-for-14, 2 home runs, 3 doubles, 3 RBI

You just start to get the feeling that he’s going to have an incredible season for the Padres… 👀

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) March 16, 2023

The 2022 Home Run Derby champion looks to have a huge season for the Padres this year and it appears his recent play is just a sneak peak at what we should expect to see once official games start. Soto had to adjust to the team very fast last year following the blockbuster trade that landed him in Gaslamp and he is now looking to secure a long-term contract.

If this slugging power continues from Soto, I believe he'll be securing the bag from the front office in no time.