With the regular season approaching its midpoint, the intensity of competition continues to soar. Words of former World Champion Juan Soto about his opponent Shohei Ohtani perfectly illustrate this heightened tension. Similarly, in the Monday’s game at Petco Park, a gripping encounter between the San Diego Padres and the LA Angels took place. Yet, one standout moment occurred even before the first game of the three-game series began.

Given the standings of the Padres and the Angels in their respective divisions, this series holds significant weight for both teams. Before the opening game, the Padres’ outfielder sent a stark warning to Ohtani, who is speculated to secure a half-billion-dollar contract in his forthcoming free agency.

Juan Soto was not going to let Ohtani take pride in winning

Shohei Ohtani, having already hit 31 home runs before the All-Star game, is leading the pack in Major League Baseball. His impressive stats (31 HR and 127Ks) on the diamond and his impending free agency have made him the most talked-about player of the season. Consequently, going up against him at the plate or on the mound would pose a challenge for any player. However, this certainly was different for the star of the Padres.

Read More: “He’s in the Zone, Right Now!” – MLB Puts Juan Soto’s Eyes on Test and the Star Player Passes With Flying Colors

Hence, before the game, Soto from the dressing room said, “He’s impressive, but he’s going to 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 the mound, I won’t be scared to shuffle his a**”. 

Unfortunately for him, the two-way phenom did not pitch in the series’ first game. And fans also missed seeing the epic clash between the two players. But there’s still a chance for it to happen in the next two games of the series. 

Soto’s warning turned on him

Soon after the clip of Soto’s interview went up online, baseball fans started to mock him brutally. Even if the Angels lost Monday’s game with a significant difference in score, fans believe that Soto’s warning would not change anything for Ohtani. 

Have a look at what the fans are saying to Soto’s bold statement:

At least it didn’t happen in the game after this interview.

Statistics never lie!

Are they in denial or not? 

The first game of the series ended up leaning on the Padres’ side, but neither Ohtani nor Soto scored any runs. Two of the games are still left in the series. Would Soto’s words backfire on him or not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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