New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto hadn’t hit a home run since May 9 before he went deep in back-to-back wins over the lowly Colorado Rockies this past weekend.
Following New York’s 5-3 victory on Sunday afternoon, Soto discussed what he presumably hopes will prove to be the start of a needed season turnaround.
“Coming through for the team is always great, so I’m really happy with that,” Soto said, as shared by Robert Sanchez of SNY. “I’ve felt good since Day 1, the results just haven’t been there. So for me, finally I’m getting some balls landing, finding some holes and some gaps. We just gotta keep working on it.”
Soto’s struggles and his supposed mindset during the first two months of his Mets tenure repeatedly generated headlines. The 26-year-old, who signed a 15-year, $765M contract this past offseason, heard boos during home games in the final week of May. Multiple reporters have suggested Soto preferred to stay with the New York Yankees after he helped the club reach the 2024 World Series but was convinced by his family to join the Mets.
Against a Rockies team that entered Monday at 9-50, Soto went 4-for-9 with two homers, a double and three RBI. On Sunday, he looked like the Soto of old when he dropped to a knee and delivered a clutch home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of the win that improved the Mets to 37-22.
“The one-knee thing, I never think about it,” Soto explained, per David Adler of the MLB website. “It just happens.”
Over his first 58 games with the Mets, Soto slashed .233/.363/.429 with a .792 OPS, 10 homers and 28 RBI. Those numbers are undeniably disappointing, but it’s worth noting that Sunday was the first time that Soto, shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Pete Alonso all went yard in the same game.
“We’ll get hot, and it’s gonna be exciting when that happens,” Alonso said about what he, Soto and Lindor will offer the first-place Mets moving forward.
Alonso and Co. will look to make that prediction a reality beginning with Monday’s series opener at the Los Angeles Dodgers (36-23). The Mets beat the reigning World Series champs twice in three attempts during a series held at Citi Field from May 23-25.
