Not many 20-year-olds can say they have their own Major League Baseball bobblehead, but Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto will be able to claim that honor on Friday.
Soto, who electrified the Washington baseball scene in an otherwise depressing 2018 season, is the first Nats player this season to have his likeness memorialized via a spring-loaded plastic head atop a body showcasing his powerful left-handed batting stance. That open stance produced 22 home runs in a surprising rookie season last year.
This year, Soto is batting .270 with two home runs and eight runs batted in, including a three-run homer on Tuesday night in the 10th inning which lifted the Nats over the Phillies in Philadelphia. The Nats were trailing by five runs at one point, before forcing extra innings.
The Nats have Thursday off before opening a nine-game home stand against the Pirates, Giants and Rockies on Friday.
Washington is currently 5-5, having played exclusively against the improved National League East.
If you do get your hands on a Soto bobblehead, be sure to hold on to the box, as it will trigger a special Augmented Reality video if you open the MLB Ballpark App on your smartphone and point the camera at the special image of Soto. The video will also reveal a special deal on Soto merchandise at Nats Park.
After the Soto giveaway on Friday, which will be available to the first 25,000 fans, there will be six bobblehead giveaways remaining in the 2019 season:
- Trea Turner vs. New York Mets, May 15 (7:05 p.m.)
- Ryan Zimmerman (as Captain America) vs. Miami Marlins, May 25 (4:05 p.m.)
- Max Scherzer vs. Atlanta Braves, June 21 (7:05 p.m.)
- Adam Eaton vs. Miami Marlins, July 2 (7:05 p.m.)
- Patrick Corbin vs. Milwaukee Brewers, August 17 (7:05 p.m.)
- Anthony Rendon vs. Atlanta Braves, September 13 (7:05 p.m.)
