Soto is Rookie of Month again, plus injury updates

Among the many traits Juan Soto has displayed during his unexpected rookie season, perhaps the most impressive has been the remarkable consistency he has maintained throughout.

Soto's OPS in May (when he played in only 12 games) was .998. In June, it was 1.050, earning him National League Rookie of the Month honors. And in July, it was .924, earning him those honors once again.

Yes, Soto today was named NL Rookie of the Month for the second consecutive time, testament not only to his performance but his consistency.

"I feel very happy," the 19-year-old outfielder said. "I know what I work (for) is success. I feel very good."

Soto finished July as the leader (or tied for the lead) among all NL rookies in runs, hits, triples, homers, RBIs, walks and extra-base hits.

This, of course, was nothing new for him. Soto has not only ranked among the best rookies in the league since his late May debut but has ranked among the best hitters in the league, period. His .974 OPS since he debuted ranks fifth in the NL.

Soto has done all this despite learning how to be a big leaguer for the first time, having yet to even play a full minor league season.

"He's been very impressive," Nationals manager Davey Martinez said. "And I don't think he really worries about those kind of things. I think he just goes out there, has fun and wants to help our team win. You watch him when he grounds out, if you listen to him, he talks through his at-bats, what he did wrong and what he can do better, the pitches that he can't chase, the pitches that he needs to look for. He's pretty intelligent and he's pretty smart. So he always has a plan when he goes up there to hit."

In other pregame news ...

* Stephen Strasburg has begun his throwing program, playing catch from 90 feet on Wednesday. Martinez said he expects the right-hander to do that again in the coming days, then move to the bullpen mound.

Martinez suggested Strasburg, who is already eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list from his neck injury, likely will need to make a rehab start before he's activated.

"I watched him yesterday, and he was throwing the ball real good," the manager said. "But like I said, that's just throwing on flat ground, 90 feet. But his shoulder feels good. Hopefully, we're beyond the whole neck thing and he can start progressing a little quicker than normal. But I definitely don't want to rush him. I want to get him back, and get him back for the rest of the season."

* Erick Fedde, on the DL with right shoulder inflammation, also is playing catch from 90 feet right now and is close to advancing to a bullpen mound.

* Mets manager Mickey Callaway expressed frustration with Adam Eaton's hard slide into second base during the first inning of Wednesday's game, after it was learned New York's Phillip Evans fractured his leg on the play.

"We put those rules in place to make sure that doesn't happen," Callaway told reporters today.

The Mets challenged the call at the time, but replay officials in New York determined Eaton did not violate the league's slide rule.

"I thought it was a clean baseball play," Martinez said. "He went straight to the base. It didn't look like he did anything illegal. So to me, it was clean."