Juan Soto will remember Tuesday night, and for good reason. It wasn’t just another game; it was a battle against his old team. Oh no, not the Yankees, it was the Washington Nationals. When he stepped on the diamond, his bat made a crackling noise. The results? The New York Mets won by 5-4. What were the vibes on the field? Unfiltered raw emotions between both dugouts.

Juan Soto’s struggles this season have not gone unnoticed. However, the picture is now changing. In the game against the Nationals, we all saw a glimpse of old Soto. And all it took was one swing. He took his shot in the tense third inning, sending it soaring 373 feet over the fence for a home run. As Soto rounded the bases, he locked eyes with Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore, and the energy on the field crackled. Was it rivalry? Was it respect? The dugouts watched, waiting for what would happen next.

But instead of fueling the drama, Soto turned the moment on its head. When reporters pressed him about the intense stare-down, he delivered a response that was as funny as it was unexpected. In the post-game interview with SNY, he said, “We were saying hi to each other. That’s it.” It was a classic Soto mic drop that eased the tension with a casual shrug, letting others fill in the blanks with their imaginations.

But the situation was intense, and even the man in charge thought the same. Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza noted the intensity and shared his thoughts: “Maybe they stare at each other. And the next time [Gore] got Soto out on one pitch. I thought they both handled it the way they should.”

Besides that intense moment, Soto really came through on Tuesday night. He had a great night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a key home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. His slash line is .248/.386/.454. As for his team, the Mets are standing tall with a terrific 43-24 record and are five games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Looks like owner Steven Cohen was indeed right about not worrying about Soto. As we enter June, things have started falling in place for #22. After being stuck in a rough patch in all of May, Soto appears to have finally found his swing again.

Juan Soto’s return to form

For the past eight games, Soto has been hitting .346 with two home runs, five RBIs, and a monstrous 12 walks, which brings his OPS up to about 1.179. This appears to be the Juan Soto, whom New York didn’t hesitate to offer $765 million. This kind of hot streak makes him feel good and gives his teammates more confidence.

And the best part of that rise? A perfect six times on base at Coors Field versus the Rockies: three singles and three walks in one game. This was the first time in his career that he got on base six times in one game. Mendoza couldn’t stop talking about his consistency: “You get to the plate six times and find a way to get on base. It’s good to see him do that and finally getting results, but I feel the at-bat quality has been there throughout.”

Additionally, he showcased his defensive skills against the Nationals in the same game. By throwing out a potential runner at home plate, he contributed to all aspects of the game. A clear swagger has returned to Soto’s game, even beyond the metrics. His OPS has increased from about .745 at the end of May to a better. 820 in early June, and his OPS+ is currently above 138. His .378 batting average over his last 11 games, with four home runs and eight RBIs, says it all.

The bottom line? The Mets are getting the benefits of his smoother swing and sharper vision. If this June form keeps up, the record-breaking contract will finally give fans the star-level consistency they want.