Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr has struck out 97 times this season, which is the sixth-highest total in the American League. But if you’re going to call him out about it on social media, you better be ready for a response.
A fan who tweeted at Souza on Wednesday accusing him of “swinging at everything” was surprised when Souza fired back.
@SouzaJr please stop swinging at everything.
— Dave (@davesheeen) July 5, 2017
Please don't tweet me telling me how to hit! https://t.co/3XtHGgsBN9
— Steven Souza Jr. (@SouzaJr) July 5, 2017
Honestly I'm just happy I got an MLB player to respond! It was all in good fun. I think you're honestly playing very well this year. https://t.co/g2vjxSNLZv
— Dave (@davesheeen) July 5, 2017
Fun for who? You? https://t.co/F3riceoKpJ
— Steven Souza Jr. (@SouzaJr) July 5, 2017
Is that why he as a walk rate of 12.8% and gets on base at a .367 clip?
— Faria SZN (@fzlongotoon) July 5, 2017
You also fail to mention his K rate and O-swing%z
— Dave (@davesheeen) July 5, 2017
What happened to all in good fun? https://t.co/pa5sZDWPwF
— Steven Souza Jr. (@SouzaJr) July 5, 2017
It’s so much easier to heckle professional athletes when you think they aren’t listening. Almost every time one of them takes the time to respond, the person who was doing the trolling backs down. As long as the confrontation doesn’t get to the point where it did with a boxer and a Twitter troll a while back, there’s really no harm.
Souza, 28, is having one of his better seasons as a pro. His 16 home runs are just one shy of his 2016 mark of 17, which he accomplished in 120 games. He’s also on pace for around 100 RBI, though the strikeouts have contributed to him hitting just .268. That doesn’t mean Souza needs help from keyboard warriors.
