Padres News: Juan Soto Joins 2 San Diego Legends on All-Time Franchise List

The still-young superstar is setting franchise records amid a disappointing season.

Juan Soto is having an amazing year that has been marred by very high highs and very low lows.

Still, the 24-year-old superstar is setting Friar records in his first full season with the team.

Juan Soto just launched his 30th homer. He's the third Padre with a 30-homer, 100-walk season, joining Adrián González (2009) and Fred McGriff (1991).

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) September 14, 2023

Juan Soto is having a "down" year compared to the blazing hot first four years of his career where he was hitting over .300 and had an average OPS of 1.014. 

Soto came to San Diego in a huge trade deadline move by the Padres in 2022 where in 52 games, the record-breaking youngster struggled.

Then 2023 rolled around and Soto, along with the rest of the Padres roster, started to disappoint. In a season where the team was projected to win the NL West, now over 145 games into the season, the Padres are well out of even a Wild Card spot.

Soto, along with his teammates, have had very hot months and very cold months but just can't seem to get hot at the same time.

Soto started the year hitting .202 with a .757 OPS after April but a hot May, June, and July saw those numbers jump up to a .273 average with a .930 OPS.

Still in the "down" season, Soto is consistently one of the toughest outs in the entire MLB and his patience cannot be taken for granted as he will punish pitchers with any get-me-over pitches in the zone, hitting his 30th home run on a middle-middle fastball against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Soto's 30th Smash of the year 💥 pic.twitter.com/9DBRGXRlNv

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 14, 2023

It has been reported that Soto and the Padres are currently talking about a hefty contract extension that will make the star player one of the top-paid players in the MLB.

The Friars season may end before October but Soto will still be doing everything he can to turn the tides.