Juan Soto delivered the game-winning double to send the Washington Nationals to the NLDS. He has now cemented his legacy in the team’s history.
Things were not going the Washington Nationals way at all in the National League Wild Card Game.
Although their ace Max Scherzer was on the mound, the home plate umpire was not helping him out one bit. The home plate umpire did not call a strike on Brewers’ Trent Grisham to lead off the game and Yasmani Grandal would follow with a homer to give Milwaukee a 2-run lead.
Then, Eric Thames would give them another insurance run with a home run, which would eventually chase Scherzer out of the game.
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Trea Turner would homer, but Nats fans still were not very loud until Josh Hader began to struggle and walk the bases loaded to bring up Juan Soto.
Soto, who could not even drink beer in the locker room celebration, delivered a game-winning hit that cleared the bases with the assistance of Trent Grisham who overran the ball in right field.
That hit cemented Soto’s legacy as a National because it was his first postseason game ever, but more importantly, it was the first game without Bryce Harper.
Rendon could be headed out the door, and with Bryce out of D.C., this could very well turn into Juan Soto’s team.
He is only in his second year but is a mainstay in the middle of the Nats lineup, and will be in contention for a National League MVP award as soon as next season.
This was the first Washington Nationals win in franchise history in a postseason elimination game, and Soto is going to be remembered for winning the game for them.
I believe this is the first of many huge moments in a very successful career for Juan Soto in the Nation’s Capital.