"Nothing is going to be like what we had" - Juan Soto fondly recalls 2019 Nationals stint after Washington return as a Yankee

Juan Soto returned to Washington for the first time since his trade to the New York Yankees from the San Diego Padres on Monday. The Yankees superstar recalled his stint with the Nationals on his return as a Yankee.

The four-time All-Star emerged as a fan-favorite since signing for the Bronx Bombers in the offseason. However, Soto is still fond of his time with the Nationals, especially the clubhouse environment during the 2019 World Series triumph, the first in the franchise's history.

Soto drew a parallel on Monday between his Yankees and Nationals stint (via New York Post):

“The good energy and the vibes we have in here — I would say nothing is going to be like what we had on the Nationals in 2019, but definitely this is really close to what we had back then," Soto said.

Juan Soto signed for the Nationals in 2015 and made his MLB debut for the team in 2018. He enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2019, consistently coming up clutch for the Nationals in the postseason, against the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card series, the LA Dodgers in the NLDS and an MVP-caliber performance against the Houston Astros in the World Series.

“We all get along together very well, we’re playing hard, we’re coming in here and everybody wants to at the end of the day," Soto added. "That’s what matters. It doesn’t matter anything else. It’s not about the money or anything. We come in here to play baseball and win games.”

The Dominican slugger was named the joint winner of the Babe Ruth Award, along with teammate Stephen Strasburg, who was the World Series MVP, for their postseason heroics.

Juan Soto addresses free agency rumors during Washington return

Juan Soto received a warm reception from the Nationals fans on Monday and the Yankees superstar acknowledged it by tipping his cap. There were also chants of “Come Home Soto” at Nationals Park.

There have been rumors of Soto's potential return to Washington in his free agency at the end of the season. However, Soto did not make much of his potential next destination in the lead-up to the game:

“At the end of the day, right now I’m playing for the Yankees,” Soto said. “I’m happy where I’m at. We’ll see what happens in free agency.”

Although Soto had a quiet game on his return to Washington, the Yankees didn't mind too much as others rose to the occasion to help the team to a 5-2 win.