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  4. title => "Juan Soto blasts historic home run - just as his hitting coach guaranteed"
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  6. article_body => "<p>Juan Soto was the best teenage hitter in Major League Baseball history, and he might be the best 20-year old hitter in MLB history, too.<\/p>\n<p>His exploits at the plate over the past two seasons have ranged from impressive to historic, and everything in between.<\/p>\n<p>He grew his legend even more Tuesday evening, launching a jaw-dropping home run to the train tracks in Houston.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We&#39;re still in awe of the size of this Juan Soto blast. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WorldSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WorldSeries<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jVx5oidbCe\">pic.twitter.com\/jVx5oidbCe<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Cut4 (@Cut4) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Cut4\/status\/1186820159752806400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 23, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>This is a flat-out bomb. Left-handed hitters just don\u2019t hit home runs to this part of Minute Maid Park.<\/p>\n<p>The prodigious young outfielder actually struck out on an essentially identical pitch in his first at-bat. But it only took him one look to adjust, and he took the same pitch yard in his second at-bat.<\/p>\n<p>Soto continues to see his name mentioned among baseball\u2019s greats.<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Players to hit a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WorldSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WorldSeries<\/a> HR before turning 21-yo:<br>Mickey Mantle<br>Andruw Jones<br>Miguel Cabrera<br>Juan Soto<\/p>&mdash; Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/baseball_ref\/status\/1186816738358378496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 23, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>That\u2019s a mighty impressive list. Andruw Jones is the only one besides Soto to accomplish the feat in his first World Series game.<\/p>\n<p>What was even more impressive about this home run? It was foreseen by his hitting coach, Kevin Long.<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Nats hitting coach Kevin Long yesterday guaranteed Juan Soto would hit a HR off a high fastball from Gerrit Cole. \u201cI guarantee you.\u201d Wow. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Qx7tElb0hw\">pic.twitter.com\/Qx7tElb0hw<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Rudy Gersten (@DCBarno) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DCBarno\/status\/1186818260521631750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 23, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>Yes, that\u2019s reporter Tom Verducci telling the world that not only did Long predict a home run for his young star, but he literally predicted it would come off a Gerrit Cole high fastball.<\/p>\n<p>It was, frankly, wild that he would even suggest such a thing, given how utterly dominant Cole has been with his fastball all season long.<\/p>\n<p>But Long believes in Soto, rightfully so, and never wavered in that belief. Now, Soto\u2019s historic bomb -- which tied the game, by the way -- has an incredible story to go with.<\/p>\n<p>What will this guy do next?<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE NATIONALS NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Taco! Taco!: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/trea-turners-world-series-steal-earns-free-tacos-all\">Turner's steal earns free food for all<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Some Start: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/ryan-zimmerman-fittingly-hits-first-world-series-home-run-nationals-history\">Zim goes yard in first at-bat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Phone a Friends:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/among-astros-strategies-figure-out-nats-starters-phone-friend\" target=\"_self\">Astros' strategy against Nats<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/45f390d2-bee9-421b-b519-fb712394d291\/episodes\/60007dd4-f14a-43b7-a120-1cbf060c435f\/embed?theme=light-blue\"\u00a0style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n"
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Nationals

Nationals

Juan Soto was the best teenage hitter in Major League Baseball history, and he might be the best 20-year old hitter in MLB history, too.

His exploits at the plate over the past two seasons have ranged from impressive to historic, and everything in between.

He grew his legend even more Tuesday evening, launching a jaw-dropping home run to the train tracks in Houston.

This is a flat-out bomb. Left-handed hitters just don’t hit home runs to this part of Minute Maid Park.

The prodigious young outfielder actually struck out on an essentially identical pitch in his first at-bat. But it only took him one look to adjust, and he took the same pitch yard in his second at-bat.

Soto continues to see his name mentioned among baseball’s greats.

That’s a mighty impressive list. Andruw Jones is the only one besides Soto to accomplish the feat in his first World Series game.

What was even more impressive about this home run? It was foreseen by his hitting coach, Kevin Long.

Yes, that’s reporter Tom Verducci telling the world that not only did Long predict a home run for his young star, but he literally predicted it would come off a Gerrit Cole high fastball.

It was, frankly, wild that he would even suggest such a thing, given how utterly dominant Cole has been with his fastball all season long.

But Long believes in Soto, rightfully so, and never wavered in that belief. Now, Soto’s historic bomb -- which tied the game, by the way -- has an incredible story to go with.

What will this guy do next?

MORE NATIONALS NEWS: