Juan Soto hits home run, and Nationals fans are delirious

The Washington Nationals called up Juan Soto on Saturday in hopes of a jolt. On Monday, they got one with a three-run bomb to left.

At 19 years old, Juan Soto stands alone as the youngest player in the major leagues. Called up Saturday by the Washington Nationals, the outfielder shows promise that the reigning NL East champs need to keep pace with the surprising Atlanta Braves.

Sitting four games back of Atlanta, the Nationals need a spark offensively and Soto could be that. In fact, the early returns are good, with Soto setting Nationals Park on its ear with his first MLB hit being a three-run shot off the San Diego Padres on Monday evening.

Soto has been outstanding to start 2018, hitting a blistering .362 at combined A and AA ball. The Nationals need some consistent bats to keep the record flying above .500, as the team is currently 24th in batting average with a .234 clip. Combining Soto’s prowess with the skills of Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Matt Adams should giving Washington enough in the lineup to go with one of the better staffs in baseball, led by Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.

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Whether Soto’s numbers translate over the course of a major league season remains to be seen, considering prospects come and go. Still, Soto’s rise from A-ball to the majors in less than two weeks sends a staggering message from the front office, telling fans he’s an otherworldly talent. Soto hopes to add his name to the likes of Harper and Mike Trout, to come up while still a teenager and make a big impact.

Washington has championship expectations, and if Soto can add fuel to that fire, all the better for a franchise that is long on hope but short on accomplishments since relocating from Montreal over a decade ago.