San Diego Padres fans were concerned by Juan Soto's tepid start to the 2023, but those fears are quickly washing away. Soto has been playing like his old self thus far in the month of May, and is showing why the Padres traded so much to acquire him. His return to form is a great sign for the team that has started far slower than most experts predicted.
The biggest decline for Soto that was noticed was his inabilty to generate hits in the first month. He maintained a solid On-base Percentage because of his ability to draw walks, but was not hitting at his usual rate.
Mark DeRosa broke down how Soto adjusted his game to get back to the superstar we know in this tweet from MLB Network.
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The beauty of the roster the San Diego Padres have amassed is that their stars can afford to slump at times. Now that Juan Soto is back to playing at a high level, the team should reap the rewrds soon enough. Fans are beyond thrilled to see Soto playing at the level they always knew he was capable of.
The Washington Nationals only traded Soto when they knew it was unlikely they would be able to re-sign him. The Padres knew the price tag was going to be high, and they are seeing why now. When he is playing at his best he is a bonefide top-five offensive player in MLB. He has taken a lot of flack from the viewing audience this season, so it is nice to see him turn it around.
This breakdown did a great job of showing that just small changes and a different mindset can go a long way for batters. Seattle Mariners fans are hopeful that they can find a similar fix for whatever is ailing Julio Rodriguez. Despite his youth, Juan Soto is an MLB veteran. so it makes sense he was able to find a solution quickly.
Juan Soto appears to be back to his old self, and the rest of the league is officially on notice.
Juan Soto needs to start leading the San Diego Padres to wins
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A team with Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts being anything less than dominant is hard to understand. The team is currently .500, with a 19-19 record.
Some say that you are what your record says, but this San Diego Padres teams feels better than that.