Braves Star Spencer Strider Caught Red-Handed Taunting Juan Soto After Huge Strikeout

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Lentz | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 9:19 AM ET

The SNY television mics are truly the gift that keeps on giving to baseball fans, and Tuesday night's Atlanta Braves 7-4 victory over the New York Mets was no exception! During the bottom of the fifth inning, an explosive interaction between Braves pitcher Spencer Strider and Mets superstar Juan Soto was caught crystal clear.

Soto, who had already walked twice against Strider, worked a full count in his third at-bat. Strider then unleashed a four-seam fastball that home-plate umpire Adam Hamari called strike three. But Soto, already heading toward first base expecting ball four, erupted in frustration, hopping in the air and heading directly to the umpire to voice his displeasure.

That's when Strider, walking off the mound, decided to add insult to injury. With the mics picking up every word, the Braves ace repeatedly barked at Soto, "It's right down the middle!" – not once, not twice, but three times!

While the pitch wasn't a glaring strike, it did appear to nick the outside corner, and Hamari's impressive 96% accuracy rating for the game, according to Umpire Scorecards, certainly backs up his call.

For Soto and the struggling Mets, this visible frustration is just the tip of the iceberg. The team has plummeted, losing nine of their last 10 games and tumbling out of first place in the NL East. Meanwhile, the Braves, after a dismal start, are now a surprising 7-3 in their last 10, creeping back towards .500.

This fiery exchange between two of baseball's biggest stars just adds another chapter to the intense Braves-Mets rivalry, especially as the Mets continue their bewildering slide despite Soto's historic $765 million contract.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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