Juan Soto vs Gerrit Cole at-bat in Game 1 of the World Series, a breakdown
What Happened
In Game 1 of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park, 20-year-old Juan Soto stepped in against Astros ace Gerrit Cole in the fifth inning with two on and the Nationals up by a run. Jomboy breaks down the full at-bat, complete with Soto's now-famous mannerisms: the puppy-dog tongue, the hip wiggle, and the 'Soto shuffle' crotch grab he flashes at Cole after taking pitches. Cole refused to give Soto a fastball, spinning breaking balls and changeups even in fastball counts. On a 3-2 pitch Soto sat dead red on the off-speed and lined it off the wall, with Michael Brantley's glove getting stuck on the ball, driving in runs and capping a dominant plate appearance.
Why This Matters
This at-bat became the signature image of Soto's coming-out party on baseball's biggest stage. The Nationals were a Wild Card team that ripped off an improbable run to the Fall Classic, and a 20-year-old staring down Cole, the best pitcher available that winter, told you everything about Soto's makeup. The chess match itself is the lesson: Cole completely abandoned his fastball against a kid because he respected the bat too much, and Soto rewarded that by hunting off-speed and not missing. Washington went on to win Game 1 and eventually the franchise's first championship in seven games, the only blemish on Houston's home record that postseason. The 'Soto shuffle' turned into a trademark, and the at-bat helped set up the eventual contract conversations that made him one of the sport's highest-paid players.
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Key Moments
Who / What Is Involved
Players: Gerrit Cole, Juan Soto. Teams: Yankees, Orioles.
Key Terms Mentioned
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentfifth inning Game one of the World
Series Juan Soto the young studs up hits
him with the puppy dog tongue lets him
know it's his batter's box today this
one's brought to you by auction of
Champions calm hits them with a little
cute smirk and the hips and he's ready
to bat he's got two on in a one-run game
and cold deals inside and he's [ __ ]
out of there he's not coming back he's
gone not into it anymore his managers
like what's that about is he coming back
okay yeah okay fine I'll come back I'll
hit we're good we're guys didn't like
that one
all right steps back into the box hits
them with the hips again uh-uh okay cool
one oh count bring me some you're gonna
have to bring me something to hit this
time goes curveball outside little Soto
shuffle right in his face he removed the
junk grab from the shuffle I think you
know what the big stage isn't ready for
that Cole says okay - oh I'm not gonna
give in I'm not gonna throw my fastball
I'm gonna spin one on him here spins it
too far Soto shuffle again oh yeah go
slide the feet pop the shoulder okay now
we got a 3o count as you're gonna bring
them the fastball is you're gonna
challenge them what's he gonna do
there's two very attractive baseball
players with good hair and little
off-speed again not giving them the
fastball and fastball count Soto hit
some with the hips again oh wow
dirty 3-1 fastball count he goes
changeup Soto says that's ballsy I like
it I get it I appreciate it okay that's
pitch dude now look at this pitch look
at that Wow pretty nasty so don't
respects it now you got a 3-2 he's not
gonna go fastball he hasn't gotten
fastball all at-bat Soto sits on the
off-speed puts it against the wall
Brantley gets his glove stuck and Soto
says baby shark let's go and then thank
you God thank you very much look at this
just sat on it this one was brought to
you by auction of Champions dot-com
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purchase that's pretty good $20 ooh oh I
love the little shoulder problem BAM
got him