New York Mets All-Star outfielder Juan Soto struggled at the plate throughout portions of his first month with the organization but nevertheless received a standing ovation from fans at Citi Field ahead of his at-bat in the fifth inning of Friday’s home contest versus the St. Louis Cardinals.
Soto subsequently recorded a total of five RBI, three of which he notched on Sunday, to help the Mets earn a four-game sweep of the Cardinals that improved the Amazins to 15-7 on the campaign. After Sunday’s 7-4 victory, he acknowledged the support he heard from paying customers throughout the weekend.
“It’s a great feeling when you have a fan base supporting you,” Soto said, as shared by David Lennon of Newsday. “When you’re doing bad, when you’re doing good. It’s just great. I really appreciate what they did. I feel like they don’t know how meaningful that is. I think it means a lot to the players when they do that. It feels extraordinary.”
Mets fans attempting to lift the spirits of a slumping star has become somewhat of a springtime tradition, as popular shortstop Francisco Lindor received similar cheers last year amid his slow start to the season. Of course, Lindor became a National League MVP candidate en route to guiding the 2024 Mets to the NLCS.
Soto’s overall numbers remain disappointing after he signed a 15-year, $765M contract that could exceed $800M to join the Mets during the offseason. Across his first 22 games, he slashed .256/.385/.436 with three home runs and 12 RBI.
That said, Soto could be on the verge of breaking out of his swoon while playing in front of adoring home crowds during a three-game series versus the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies (13-9) that gets underway on Monday evening.
“You see the crowd getting up and going crazy, it gives you a little bit more motivation and energy, and adrenaline running through your body,” Soto added. “So you want to get it done.”
As Tim Britton of The Athletic pointed out, first baseman Pete Alonso having arguably the best April in team history coupled with the club’s record makes it easy for fans to show patience with Soto after the 26-year-old irked some when he recently suggested he missed sharing a lineup with New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge. One can’t help but wonder where the Mets will be when the best version of Soto begins regularly torching opposing pitchers, as expected.
