Juan Soto Reveals Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Is Toughest He’s Faced
Props to Soto for being completely comfortable admitting this.
With pro athletes possessing some of the most colossal egos across any industry, it’s always refreshing to see a superstar player come out and give props to an opponent. It reveals humility and something likable about the athlete.
Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did this on Christmas day when he flat out said that the San Antonio Spurs are better than his Thunder at the moment. It was a moment that even SGA’s haters had to respect.
MLB’s had some recent examples of this kind of humility. Athletics star Brent Rooker came out and admitted that he’s relieved that Pete Fairbanks has been traded to the National League.
Then there’s New York Mets megastar Juan Soto, who had no problem identifying the toughest pitcher he’s faced in his career: former Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale.
In 11 career plate appearances against Sale, Soto is hitting .091 with one homer and six strikeouts.
Sale’s 2025 season with the Atlanta Braves was a bit more challenging than his 2024 Cy Young-winning campaign. He posted a 7-5 record with a 2.58 ERA across 21 games, striking out 165 batters in 125 2/3 innings. Despite an injury that limited his starts, Sale delivered a handful of dominant outings, including a September gem where he fanned nine over eight shutout innings against the Washington Nationals. His 3.6 fWAR reflected solid contributions, though below his prior year’s peak.
Over his 15-year MLB career through 2025, Sale has amassed a 145-88 record, a 3.01 ERA, and 2,579 strikeouts in 2,084 innings. Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2010, he emerged as a strikeout machine, earning seven All-Star nods and leading the AL in Ks twice during his 2010-2016 tenure. Traded to the Red Sox, he anchored their 2018 World Series victory but battled injuries from 2019-2023. At 36, he remains a formidable lefty presence.
