In case you forgot, Juan Soto is still Juan Soto
Soto is crushing the ball even though the Mets are struggling
The New York Mets have been a disaster. Despite having the second-largest payroll in Major League Baseball according to FanGraphs’ RosterResource, they currently have a 23-33 record, are in last place in the National League East and are 14 games back of the Atlanta Braves for first place in their division.
Last season was similarly disappointing. On June 12, the Mets had a 45-24 record, the best in baseball at the time, and had a 5 ½ game lead in the NL East. They ended the season with an 83-79 record and just missed out on the third NL Wild Card spot to the Cincinnati Reds.
Amidst all of this turmoil, Juan Soto is still one of, if not the best hitters in MLB.
The 15-year, $765 million contract, the largest in professional sports history, that Juan Soto signed with the Mets ahead of the 2025 season came with enormous expectations. Before 2025, Soto’s age-26 season and first with the Mets, he had four All-Star appearances, five Silver Sluggers, three top-five MVP finishes and had played a key part in the Washington Nationals 2019 World Series title. He had rightfully earned a reputation as one of the best pure hitters in baseball, and was on his way to becoming an all-time great.
Despite the Mets’ lack of team success, Soto has, almost quietly, continued to produce at an extremely elite level. That has been especially true lately. Over Soto’s last seven games, he has six home runs. In 12 games going back to May 16, Soto is batting .386 with a 1.402 OPS. On the season, Soto is slashing .301/.392/.594 with 12 home runs despite all of the Mets injuries and offensive deficiencies. His .986 OPS would lead the NL if he had enough at-bats to qualify (he missed about two weeks in April with a right calf strain).
“He’s locked in,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Soto homered in the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Red on Wednesday per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. “And he’s one of the best, if not the best at what he does. … He’s just a special player doing his thing.”
This is all happening despite the Mets failing to replace Pete Alonso, who batted behind Soto for the majority of last season and offered him much-needed protection. Bo Bichette, who the Mets signed to help replace Alonso’s offense, has been a major disappointment, and has not provided anywhere near the same amount of support as Alonso did behind Soto.
Soto’s performance last season was also overshadowed by the Mets’ late collapse. He finished 3rd in NL MVP voting, won a Silver slugger, led all of baseball with 127 walks, led the NL with 38 steals and a .396 OBP and hit a career-high 43 home runs.
It is difficult for Soto to ever truly live up to fans’ expectations because of his gargantuan contract. On an already expensive roster, Soto accounts for 13.9% of the Mets’ 2026 payroll. He does not offer much value in the field. He has a quieter disposition.
This past offseason, the NY Post’s Mike Puma reported that Soto and Francisco Lindor clashed in the clubhouse because of their contrasting personalities.
With the Mets continuing to underperform and Soto’s contract looming over everything he does, it is easy to understand how his performance can sometimes fly under the radar. Not only is Soto continuing to show that he is one of, if not the best hitters in MLB and a generational talent, but he may just be the player who is most important to their team’s success.
Soto has missed 17 of the Mets’ 56 games. In the 39 games Soto has played, the Mets have a 20-19 record. In the 17 he has missed, the Mets are 3-14. Without Soto, the Mets offense grinds to a halt.
This is not to say that Soto is even worth his contract. Despite Mets owner Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend seemingly knowing no bounds, Soto’s contract may eventually end up hamstringing the Mets’ ability to spend on other top free agents. Known as a below-average defender, Soto could end up as a full-time designated hitter sooner rather than later. It is difficult to think that anyone except for two-way global superstar Shohei Ohtani would be worth the kind of money Soto is being paid.
But, that should not take away from appreciating how great of a hitter he is and how much of a hot streak he is currently on. Mets fans would obviously prefer that come with a few more wins, but despite everything going on around him, Soto is continuing to hit. And that is what Cohen paid him to do,
I recently had a Mets game on at home when my in-laws came by. When Soto came to bat, I said to my father-in-law, “if Soto isn’t the best hitter in baseball, he’s at least top 3.” My FiL’s (a casual baseball fan at best) response? “Who?” Baseball’s marketability problem in a nutshell.