Juan Soto Reflects on Season with Mets
Juan Soto has come close to achieving impressive milestones, like nearly reaching 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases or even 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. He wrapped up the recent season with 43 home runs, 38 stolen bases, and an OPS of .921.
Despite his individual success, the team he decided to join through free agency did not make it to the postseason.
Interestingly, all the teams that were in the running for Soto’s services—Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Dodgers—will be playing in October.
Yet, Soto remains content with his decision to come to Queens, signing a staggering $765 million deal over 15 years. At the press conference introducing him, he mentioned that it wasn’t just about the money; rather, the Mets’ potential for sustained success seemed to be a major draw for him.
He expressed admiration for the Mets’ talent, and team owner Steve Cohen shared his ambition for the team to capture multiple World Series titles within the next decade.
After a dreadful late-season collapse, where the team went from first to 38-55 in the last three and a half months, Soto insists that he still believes in the organization.
“100%,” he affirmed following the Mets’ disappointing 4-0 loss to the Marlins at Randepot Park. “One season isn’t going to dictate our future. We have what it takes to improve and move forward.”
There are signs of hope, with a strong performance from the Mets’ farm system. Players like Nolan McLean, Brandon Sprout, and Jonah Ton are coming up, and having Soto alongside Francisco Lindor provides an exciting lineup for the future.
Of course, some skeptics might have their doubts about the organization’s trajectory after this historic collapse. It seems to have started with injuries to key pitchers like Kodai Senga, Griffin Canning, and Tyler Megill.
Things got more complicated when Frankie Montas, who returned from injury, found himself sidelined again. Even Sean Mania, upon his return to the mound, hasn’t looked like his old self from 2024.
“They got hurt,” Soto noted about his teammates. “They were outstanding at the beginning of the year. Once injuries started piling up, that’s when everything began to fall apart.”
This first season with the Mets was remarkable in many ways, but it’s also marked as a significant disappointment. Soto stated candidly, “If you don’t make the playoffs or win the championship, that’s a failure. That’s our perspective, and that’s how we plan to approach the offseason.”
