Nationals' Juan Soto Says Walker Buehler Is 'Nothing Special' After Game 1

Following his side's 6-0 loss in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Thursday, Washington Nationals star Juan Soto wasn't impressed with what he saw from Los Angeles Dodgers ace Walker Buehler. 

Per Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times, Soto described Buehler's performance as "nothing special," even though the Nationals had just one hit against him in six innings. 

"For me, it's the same Buehler I've been seeing this season," Soto said. "It's nothing special. He's really good, but he don't have anything different for me."

Soto's single to lead off the second inning was Washington's only hit against Buehler. The Nationals did make things interesting in the fourth inning when the Dodgers right-hander walked the bases loaded, but Asdrubal Cabrera's ground out ended the threat. 

It certainly wasn't the best game Buehler ever pitched, though he left his team in a position to win the game when manager Dave Roberts took him out.

The Dodgers capitalized in the later innings on Max Muncy's two-run single in the seventh and solo homers from Gavin Lux and Joc Pederson in the eighth to turn Game 1 into a blowout. 

It's not as if Los Angeles needs bulletin-board material to be successful after leading the NL with 106 wins during the regular season.

Soto's comments certainly don't do anything to help the Nationals as they look to get back on track in Game 2. Things won't get any easier Friday when Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for Los Angeles. He will be opposed by Stephen Strasburg, who tossed three shutout innings in relief during Tuesday's NL Wild Card win over the Milwaukee Brewers.