SAN DIEGO — Juan Soto issued a warning. The Padres right fielder first made his statement when he whistled a double off Phillies ace Aaron Nola on an 0-2 pitch, a spot in which Nola had given up just 11 hits all year. More subtly, he reinforced his point with a long, towering fly ball in his last at-bat in-NLCS Game 2. The drive went foul, but it was the swing that told Soto he’s close to being locked in.
And in case you didn't pick up on the statement, he issued it after the game, too.