Watch: Manny Machado hugs former teammate Juan Soto at Yankees vs Padres game 

Juan Soto and the New York Yankees are on the road to play the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. This is the start of a three-game series beginning on Friday, and there were throwback moments for Soto returning to San Diego, who used to play for the Padres before this season.

Ahead of the game, Soto had the opportunity to meet up with some of his old Padres pals. One of them was third baseman Manny Machado, who shared a moment with him.

Both Machado and Soto shared a joyous hug, remembering the times they used to slide along in the Padres dugout.

It all changed this offseason when the Padres decided to trade Soto. In one of the biggest acquisitions for the Yankees, the AL East leader received Soto and Trent Grisham in exchange for pitcher Michael King, Jhony Brito, catcher Kyle Higashioka, pitching prospect Drew Thorpe and pitching prospect Randy Vasquez.

Juan Soto on his return to San Diego's Petco Park, talks about his trade in offseason

In a presser ahead of the game, Soto talked about how everything that was going on before his eventual trade to the Yankees.

Soto, who was preparing in the offseason, was surprised by the move and revealed that he was hoping to return to San Diego for the 2024 season:

“I didn’t expect to be traded until the last second,” Soto said in a press conference. “I was keeping in touch with A.J. [Preller]. We were talking up and down. He definitely told me I was going to be the third-hole hitter of the lineup next season, and I was expecting to be back in San Diego.

"And probably a week or two weeks before the trade, he just tells me, ‘I’m sorry, we’re looking at trading you,’ this and that. It just happens. I was really preparing myself to come back to San Diego.”

However, he acknowledged the team's direction and was grateful to them for trading him to another great organization:

“There’s no hard feelings or anything like that,” Soto added. “He just changed my plans. At least he changed it for good. He was trading me to a great team, a great organization. So I was happy to be traded to an organization like the Yankees and really excited about it.”

Juan Soto is playing great with the Yankees so far this season. He has been everything the Bronx Bombers envisioned, and there have been rumors that the Yankees will roll out an extension offer soon.

However, it's unlikely Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, will go ahead with it without testing free agency.