Juan Soto under fire for defensive miscues in NLCS Game 3
The San Diego Padres may be digging in their pockets for the receipt on Juan Soto after Friday’s contest.
The Padres outfielder Soto had a miserable night in the field during Game 3 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. Soto misplayed a base hit by Phillies shortstop Bryson Stott in the second inning, allowing Stott to take an extra base.
Doble de Bryson Stott con un batazo que Juan Soto no pudo dominar.
En el siguiente turno Brandon Marsh fue ponchado.#Postseason pic.twitter.com/LqNVLkFCbO
— Erick José Lantigua (@EJLantigua) October 22, 2022
Then in the sixth inning, Soto had an even more costly miscue. Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm knocked a ball into right that Soto dove for instead of playing off the hop. Soto whiffed, and the ball wiggled past him toward the fence. Nick Castellanos, who is not a particularly fast baserunner, scored easily from second, and Bohm got an extra base of his own off Soto.
Alec Bohm knocks Joe Musgrove out of the game!
He doubles home Nick Castellanos on a ball that got under Gold Glove semi-finalist Juan Soto’s glove! pic.twitter.com/ZJ47eLBN4E
— Beerly Baseball (@BeerlyBaseball) October 22, 2022
Many online pointed out the irony of Soto being a Gold Glove finalist this year and having multiple embarrassing mistakes like that. Soto has also struggled at the plate in the NLCS with one hit in his first ten at-bats.
The multi-time All-Star Soto did have his moments earlier this postseason. But he certainly did not do himself any favors during Game 3 on Friday.