LOS ANGELES -- The Juan Soto the New York Mets expected when they gave him the richest contract in sports history finally appeared in his purest form Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium by stealing the show without even putting the ball in play.

There always figured to be something of an adjustment period for Juan Soto after he signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets this offseason, and he suggested as much ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While New York Mets slugger Juan Soto has looked like the guy the Mets expected when they offered him a $765 million contract over the past week or so, more still needs to be seen from the 26-year-old before fans decide that his hitting woes are firmly in the rearview.