Juan Soto’s performance has come under scrutiny, particularly since he seems to be struggling following the biggest contract in sports history. During a recent game against the Yankees, he faced criticism for not hustling after hitting a ground ball in the eighth inning.
In a tightly contested match that was tied at 2-2, Soto managed to hit a pitch from Yankees pitcher Devin Williams. However, instead of racing to first base, he lagged behind, even as DJ LeMahieu made a solid catch.
By the time LeMahieu fielded the ball, Soto appeared to be barely making it past the first baseline, bowing his head and seemingly losing momentum as he watched the play unfold. Clearly, this lack of urgency frustrated fans and commentators alike.
The Mets ultimately fell behind after a Grand Slam by Cody Bellinger, who propelled the Yankees to victory with a late-game rally that included six runs in the eighth inning.
Social media quickly erupted with reactions to Soto’s performance. Some fans criticized him for not getting out of the box quicker.
One user remarked, “Juan Soto was clearly hustling here. I don’t know what he was thinking,” while another added, “How about F-K do us fuss here? That’s awful.” There were also comments about Soto’s performance feeling lackluster and even inexplicable, especially given the stakes of the match.
Poor reception continued as he was met with boos from Yankees fans throughout the series, despite having had a decent run last year. In the recent three-game matchup, he managed to go 10-1 with a few walks and strikeouts, but his season stats show a marked decline compared to his previous year.
So far this season, Soto is batting .246 with an OPS of .822, and his numbers—eight home runs and 20 RBIs—are a far cry from his outstanding .288 average and .989 OPS last year, where he hit a personal best of 41 homers and drove in 109 runs.
