BOSTON – Mets Struggle Despite Juan Soto’s Efforts

The Mets seem to be having a rough go, but Juan Soto isn’t convinced that his performance is part of the issue.

For the second consecutive night, Soto found himself scrambling to first base after hitting a ball that he thought would soar over the Green Monster. Unfortunately, it hit the wall, causing him to leave the batter’s box a bit sluggishly.

He managed to steal a base later on, but it didn’t look great for the team, especially considering their lackluster performance during the subway series against the Yankees last weekend.

After a 3-1 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Soto was asked whether he needed to be more mindful of sprinting to first base.

“I think I’m hustling very hard,” Soto replied. “If you saw it today, you could say it.”

Just the night before, Soto hit a grounder to second base and was late to first, which resulted in a missed opportunity. Although he picked up speed, it wasn’t enough to beat the throw.

While Soto didn’t see the problem, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza had a different viewpoint.

“We’ll discuss it with him,” Mendoza said. “He thought he had it, but with the wind and that wall, you really need to burst out of the box. So, yes, we’ll talk about that.”

Soto’s hustle wasn’t the only concern for the Mets, who have now been held to three runs or fewer in six straight games.

Soto, who faced the Yankees last weekend, hit into a double play that snuffed out potential rallies.

“As a team, we need to capitalize,” Soto noted. “We have to go out there and take on our opponents. We do a good job of getting people on base, but we need to convert those chances.”

Kodai Senga showed promise after a rocky beginning where he allowed three runs over five strikeouts and three hits in three innings. This was the first time he had given up three runs in a start this season.

On a breezy night, Senga found himself in an early 2-0 hole. Jaren Duran began with a leadoff double, Rafael Devers walked, and Alex Bregman’s groundout allowed the run to score. Then, Trevor Story added a two-out RBI single to extend the Red Sox’s lead.

A subsequent RBI triple from Duran put the Red Sox ahead 3-0. Carlos Narvers walked before Duran took advantage and hit a forkball into the right-field corner.

“The initial innings were challenging due to the wind conditions,” Senga explained through an interpreter. “But I wanted to keep pushing and make it a game we could win. I was able to settle down after that.”

The Mets managed to pull within 3-1 thanks to Tyrone Taylor’s RBI single. Francisco Alvarez added a double, and while Francisco Lindor walked, Soto’s double play ended the inning.

It was a rough night for Pete Alonso as well. He faced difficulties in the fourth when he misplayed a grounder, giving the Red Sox a good opportunity with two outs, which was compounded by a walk to Devers, loading the bases.

Alonso had a rough start, hitting a shot that appeared destined for the Green Monster early in the game. He was initially called safe but was later overturned in a replay challenge.

Alonso walked after Soto’s single, but unfortunately for the Mets, Brandon Nimmo hit into a double play that left them empty-handed.

In the seventh inning, the Mets had a chance with two outs. Jeff McNeill walked, and Taylor’s single, aided by an error from right fielder Wilyer Abreu, put runners in scoring position.

However, after a pitching change, Lindor was quickly retired, ending the threat.

“We’ve struggled as runners in scoring positions,” Mendoza remarked. “Sometimes we feel we’re making solid contact but are passive, or we chase after poor pitches instead.”