Major League Baseball

Juan Soto trade: Padres adding generational superstar

Updated Aug. 2, 2022 2:46 p.m. ET

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In making a blockbuster move to acquire Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, the San Diego Padres added one of the best players in baseball and a generational superstar.

At just 23 years old, Soto already boasts a World Series ring and a résumé that stacks up with various all-time greats at a similar age.

Let's break down the numbers and examine just how good of a player San Diego added in the biggest move at the MLB Trade Deadline:

1: Soto is the first player ever to be younger than 24 and get traded the year he was an All-Star. He is also the first player to make multiple All-Star games and be traded before he turned 24.

Nationals reportedly trade Juan Soto in blockbuster deal

Colin Cowherd and Joy Taylor react to one of the league's biggest blockbuster deals in MLB history as the Nationals dealt Juan Soto to San Diego.

3: Soto is one of only three players in MLB history to have at least 100 HRs and 450 BBs in his first 564 career games (Ted Williams, Frank Thomas).

565: Through his first 565 games, Soto has more homers and almost as many walks as Williams:

1. Juan Soto: 2,439 PA, 119 HRs, 464 BBs
2. Ted Williams: 2,519 PA, 118 HRs, 468 BBs

30: Soto has the most games with 3+ walks before turning 24 since at least 1901 with 30, surpassing Williams, who had 29 such games.

.427: Soto leaves the Nationals as the franchise’s all-time leader in on-base percentage at .427. He also ranks second in both slugging (.538) and OPS (.966).

160: Soto is the only National player in franchise history to have an OPS+ of more than 150 (160) in his career with the team — league average is 100.

75: This season, Soto became only the second active player to get 75 hits and 75 walks before the All-Star break, joining Mike Trout. He is also only the third player to do this before turning 24, joining Adam Dunn in 2002 and Rickey Henderson in 1982.

4: In 2019, Soto became just the fourth player to record 100 extra-base hits before his 21st birthday, joining Tony Conigliaro, Mel Ott and former teammate Bryce Harper.

2: With his Home Run Derby win this season, Soto became the second-youngest winner in the contest’s history as he was just a day older than Juan González, who won his in 1993.

400: Since entering the league in 2018, Soto is one of just two players to have at least 400 walks and 100 homers, joining Harper as the only other.

3: Soto is currently leading the league in walks, as he has the past two seasons. He could join Barry Bonds as the only player over the last 30 years to place atop that category in three consecutive seasons.

.471: After leading MLB in on-base percentage in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Soto became just the second player in MLB history to lead the league in OBP by his age 22 season, joining Williams. Soto’s average OBP for the two years was .471.

145: Soto’s 145 walks in 2021 were the most in a single season since Bonds posted 232 in 2004. Soto also led the NL by more than 40 walks – Harper finished second with 100 – making him just the sixth player in the live ball era to lead his league in walks by a margin of 40 or more.

6: Soto is the sixth player in MLB history to finish as a runner-up in both Rookie of the Year and MVP, with both seasons coming before he turned 23.

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Juan Soto

San Diego Padres

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