Nationals manager's 'careful' Juan Soto warning speaks volumes

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez got honest about having to face Mets slugger Juan Soto right now.

Jun 10, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Don't look now, but New York Mets slugger Juan Soto seems to have finally found his stride in Queens.

Heading into the Mets' June 11 contest against the Washington Nationals, Soto is hitting .400 with a 1.200 OPS in his last seven games. And Soto's stats don't tell the entire story, as those who have been watching him play see that he has gotten his swagger back at the plate and is driving the ball with power to all fields.

Juan Soto in the month of June so far:

.367/.558/.733 (1.291 OPS) with 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 6 RBI and a 12/5 BB/K

This home run had all the swagger you could’ve hoped for. Pre-pitch, after the swing and rounding the basespic.twitter.com/bi0AX4f5E8

— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) June 11, 2025

While many Mets fans had been feeling frustrated with how Soto began his tenure with the team after signing the largest contract in sports history this past offseason, the more patient fans knew that it was only a matter of time before he caught fire — and that's exactly what has occurred.

Given that Soto spent most of his first five seasons with the Nationals, manager Dave Martinez (who has been at Washington's helm since the 2018 season, when Soto made his debut) knows the 26-year-old all too well.

Read more: Mets' Juan Soto cracks joke about verbal exchange with opposing pitcher

And in a June 11 article from Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Martinez sent an honest warning about what Soto is capable of at the dish.

“We threw some pitches where we thought he should hit. He fouled them off,” Martinez said, reflecting on a series between his team and Soto's Mets back in April. “Now he’s squaring those balls up.

"So, we have to be very careful. He can change the game in a heartbeat,” Martinez added.

Juan Soto ‘happy’ hits are starting to come as he starts to heat up for Mets https://t.co/Dtga3Om6IK pic.twitter.com/KbmCM0Mo0l

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 11, 2025

While teams might have been able to get away with leaving Soto pitches to hit a month ago, they're not in the same position now.