Soto brings championship experience to San Diego

Juan Soto arrived at Petco Park promising to bring “good vibes” to the San Diego Padres and issuing a warning to opposing teams.

The acquisition of the 23-year-old generational talent in perhaps the biggest deadline deal ever energized the Padres and their long-suffering fans.

Soto and Josh Bell on Wednesday joined a lineup currently anchored by All-Star slugger Manny Machado. Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to return soon from a broken left wrist.

When that lineup hits the field, “It’s going to be really exciting. It’s going to be really tough to go through and I wish good luck to the other pitchers,” Soto said with a laugh at an introductory news conference.

Soto was batting second and playing right field against Colorado on Wednesday night, a day after being obtained from Washington in a massive trade.

The price for Soto and Bell was significant: rookie lefthander MacKenzie Gore, first baseman/DH Luke Voit and prospects James Wood, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana.

Washington general manager Mike Rizzo set a lofty asking price after reports emerged that Soto rejected the team’s latest offer of $440 million over 15 years.

Soto contributed to the Nationals’ first World Series title in 2019 and then hit .351 in 2020 to win the NL batting title.

He said all the conversations with Padres general manager A.J. Preller and his new teammates have been, ‘Let’s win, let’s bring the good energy to the clubhouse and the stadium, just come here and try to win. Try to bring my experience from 2019 as a World Series champ to here in San Diego.

“That’s what I’m going to do. That’s what we’re going to try to do, try to make it all the way to the last team standing. This team has everything that it needs to win a World Series.”