Juan Soto tries to walk back his brutal comments about Padres’ struggles

Aug 8, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Juan Soto (22) runs to the dugout during the middle of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto tried to walk back comments he made about the team following their loss to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

Soto attracted attention after Wednesday’s 6-1 loss for essentially saying the Padres gave up during the game. The quote attracted plenty of attention as a sign of the deep issues that may exist within the team, which has been inconsistent and underachieving all season.

After the Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, Soto tried to walk back those remarks, attributing them to frustration and asserting that he trusted his teammates.

Juan Soto said after tonight's win he regrets saying the Padres "gave up" Wednesday. "Just s—–y days. Really frustrating. I shouldn't have said anything like that. I trust in these guys. I think everybody's trying to do their best, try to go out there and win games."

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) August 12, 2023

“I shouldn’t have said anything like that. I trust in these guys. I think everybody’s trying to do their best, try to go out there and win games,” Soto said.

It’s tough to walk back a comment like the one Soto made. It may have been spur of the moment, but it certainly suggests that the comment instinctively came from the heart.

The Padres are full of accomplished veterans, but it has not helped, as the team has slumped to a 56-60 record. Soto has had glaring moments of inconsistency just like the rest of the team, too.