Juan Soto’s struggles this season have been well documented. The four-time All-Star has had a difficult time adjusting to life with the New York Mets after signing a 15-year contract with the team over the offseason. While Soto failed to live up to expectations early on, he could be on the verge of turning his season around.
“I still need a little more time, but little by little it’s been getting better,” Soto said of his start with the Mets, per Jorge Castillo of ESPN. “I’ve been feeling more comfortable,” he added.
Juan Soto can still turn his Mets debut around
Soto’s stats this year are a massive departure from his career numbers. The former batting champion is hitting .229 with a .797 OPS after 62 games with the Mets – well below his career averages of .281 and .943. From Opening Day through May 29, he slashed .224/.352/.393 with eight home runs, 25 RBI, 34 runs scored.
However, Soto has been hot over the last week. From May 30 through June 5 he slashed .273/.484/.773 – good for a whopping 1.257 OPS – with three homers, six RBI, six runs scored and eight walks in seven games.
It’s unclear exactly why Soto has had such a difficult time since moving from the Bronx to Queens this year. It’s possible unrealistic expectations played a role. But that’s to be expected after signing a $765 million contract.
Still Soto’s teammates have supported him. Pete Alonso defended the slugger by reminding everyone that he’s still just 26 years old.
And the Mets have been rolling of late, winning nine of the last 12 games. New York is now 39-24 entering play on Friday with a 1.5 game lead over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.
The Mets get to play the Rockies again, opening a three-game series in Colorado on Friday. Soto began busting out of his season-long slump when New York swept the Rockies in Queens last week.
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