Juan Soto becomes youngest Nationals player to record 100 career home runs

June 18, 2024

Nationals outfielder Juan Soto hit his 100th career home run during Washington's Tuesday night 16-4 loss against the Braves. He became the youngest player in Nationals history to achieve the milestone, beating out Bryce Harper for the distinction by 11 days.

Soto, 23, crushed the pitch from Bryce Elder to deep right field in the sixth inning. It was his second home run of the season.

Soto has a long list of accomplishments including 2020 National League batting champion, NL Rookie of the Year and an All-Star selection (2021). Washington is 2-3 for the season.

(Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)

Putting Soto's 100th homer in context

Eno Sarris, national MLB writer: Maybe the best way to put Soto in context is to think about the next milestone he might get to. 500 hits are in reach, soon, but 2560 players, have managed that feat. 500 RBI will come in the next couple of years, and 1155 players, have driven in that many runs. But sometime next year Juan Soto will take his 500th walk, and only 738 players have done that in the history of baseball. Soto will be 24 or 25, and headed to a long career that will likely end up with at least 500 homers and 2000 walks, a feat only Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams have managed.

When might he reach 200?

Sarris: Soto won't go down as the fastest to 100 homers. Ryan Howard got there almost 150 games sooner. He won't go down as the youngest to hit 100 homers. That would be Mel Ott, who in 1931 hit his 100th homer at 22 years and 132 days, or the modern holder in Alex Rodriguez at 23 years old and 16 days. He won't even have the most homers before turning 25, as he does in just over 18 months. Eddie Matthews had 190 and A-Rod 189, and Soto probably won't get to 200 until some time in 2024. But there's still something special about the way Soto hits these homers that says he'll end up with a big number at the end of his career.

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