Juan Soto and Will Smith got beef. Soto strayed too far from the batter’s box while trying to get a look at the Atlanta Braves’ reliever warming up in the eighth inning of an August game last season, then Soto hit a home run off of Smith in the ninth and an intense staredown led to some words as Soto rounded the bases.
Over a year later, with one down in the ninth inning in the series opener on Tuesday night in Truist Park, Smith threw a slider out of the zone away, then the left-hander came back with a 94 MPH fastball to Soto’s back, which, judging by Soto’s reaction, hurt.