Are we seeing signs that Soto is a technically gifted, rather than a Great Player? This is the first time, since coming to the Majors, that he's on a non-competitive team, has an enormous weight of expectation upon his shoulders, is the 'Face Of The Franchise', and has contract shenanigans rumbling away in the background. Under that pressure, it is, perhaps, understandable that he would crumble somewhat - he is still pretty young. Will he remain a 'fair-weather' player, or will he demonstrate that he is truly a Great Player - by which I mean, one who puts up the performance, season-in, season-out, regardless of circumstances ('I call M Trout, Your Honor.'..).
The problem, for the Nats, is that if he proves to be somewhat fair-weather then, come trade-time, we could look rather foolish. Imagine that ( for arguments sake) he joined the Yankees. Freed from the responsibilities of being a National, and on a contending team, the old Soto returns. 'How could the Nats have let him go?', they'll all say - but we'll know that we might never have seen that Soto again, unless the Nats could quickly build a contending team, to relieve him of the pressure he now faces.
Will this season always be remembered as 'The Testing Of Juan Soto'?...