Juan Soto reveals his nightmare opponent

A four-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger award winner, Juan Soto is one of the finest hitters in the major leagues. Along with his outstanding bat-to-ball ability, the Dominican slugger is also excellent at judging pitches, which makes getting him out extremely difficult for opposing pitchers.

Every time he's in the batter's box, Soto uses all the tricks up his sleeve to ensure he is the one that wins the hitter-pitcher duel. Against an elite few, however, Soto struggles.

Speaking to journalist Katherine Hernandez on Friday, Juan Soto revealed his Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale is his "nightmare" opponent.

“Theres plenty, theres a few, but I’ve always said, Chris Sale, given his delivery, the crossfire, the way his feet crosses and everything, it’s very uncomfortable for lefties," Soto told Hernandez in Spanish.

A nine-time All-Star, World Series champion and NL Cy Young award winner, Chris Sale is one of the most accomplished pitchers of the generation. He is especially tough on lefty hitters like Juan Soto, as his unorthodox mechanics and awkwardly-angled release point make his pitches almost impossible to hit from the left side of home plate.

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Mets analyst claims Juan Soto will be under even more pressure than Francisco Lindor in 2026

As some of the Mets' longest-tenured players parted ways with the club this winter, the onus to guide the team to success now falls on the shoulders of Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor.

While Lindor is considered the unofficial captain of the team by many, analyst and content creator Tyler Ward is of the opinion that it is Juan Soto who will be under more pressure during the 2026 season.

Ward explained his thoughts on Tuesday, while making an appearance on the New York Post Sports YouTube channel.

"If we honestly look at (Francisco) Lindor and (Juan) Soto, and their roles for the club, I think both (being the main man for the team) can be true to a degree," Ward said (Timestamp: 3:35). "Who do I think is going to have most pressure on their shoulders entering next season? "How can it not be Juan Soto, as he's the largest contract in North American sports history? Lindor has quickly become one of the longest tenure Mets in the organization. I think Juan Soto probably has more pressure on his shoulders."

New York Mets v Chicago Cubs - Source: Getty

After the Mets shockingly missed out on the playoffs in 2025, Soto and Lindor will be desperate to make things right in 2026.

Edited by Raghav Mehta