Soto shows off legs with three steals in win

ATLANTA - Juan Soto has made a name for himself throughout the baseball world this season. For what he has done with his bat. Not his legs.

Until Saturday, when Soto showed off a part of his game few previously knew existed: his ability to run.

The Nationals' rookie phenom stole three bases in a 7-1 victory over the Braves, including third base on the front end of a double steal. He entered the day with only two stolen bases in the major leagues. He finished it with five.

"That feels pretty good," he said. "Most guys like me don't steal that much. I was there and stole three bags and helped my team to win."

In the process, Soto added yet another superlative to his growing resume. He's the youngest player in major league history to steal three bases in one game, a record previously held by a then-20-year-old Rickey Henderson. Soto, as you're well aware by now, is only 19.

"He's up there with Rickey, huh?" manager Davey Martinez said. "That guy, he doesn't surprise me. Like I said earlier, he pays attention to what's going on. He's a student of the game. He felt like he had an opportunity to run on certain guys, and he did."

Soto said he indeed picked up some things about Atlanta starter Julio Teheran that allowed him to get quick jumps, so he took advantage of them.

But is this something he'd like to make a bigger part of his game?

"Yeah, why not," he said. "If that helps the team win, if I can get a stolen base, somebody move me to third and then score with something and that helps the team win, yeah."

Soto already sports a .304 batting average, .421 on-base percentage (tops among all National League players with at least 400 plate appearances), .534 slugging percentage and 20 homers (third-most in history by a teenager).

Now he's trying to add stolen bases to his game? Teammate Wilmer Difo was asked what Soto could become if he was able to consistently run on top of all of his other offensive exploits.

The brash second baseman paused for a second to consider the possibilities, then offered up a two-word reply: "Barry Bonds."