STOP WORRYING ABOUT JUAN SOTO: A Message to Mets…and Yankee Fans
Juan Soto, the New York Mets’ $765 million man, has been under a microscope since signing the richest contract in sports history this past offseason. Every groundout, every missed opportunity with runners in scoring position, and every perceived lack of hustle has been dissected, debated, and dramatized by fans and media alike (specifically Yankees fans). New York’s sports talk radio is buzzing, social media is ablaze, and the narrative is clear: Soto isn’t living up to the hype; he “misses being a Yankee”. But let’s take a deep breath and put things in perspective. Juan Soto is a generational talent, and his early 2025 struggles are nothing more than a blip on the radar of what promises to be a Hall of Fame career. It’s time to stop worrying about Juan Soto—because he’s going to be just fine.
At just 26 years old, Juan Soto has already carved out a resume that most players can only dream of. Since debuting with the Washington Nationals in 2018, Soto has been a force at the plate. His career numbers entering the 2025 season speak for themselves: a .285 batting average, .421 on-base percentage, .532 slugging percentage, and a .953 OPS over seven seasons. He’s amassed 201 home runs, 595 RBIs, and a 36.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) through his age-25 season, numbers that put him in elite company alongside legends like Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. Yes, Yankees fans, he was good before his time in the Bronx.
Soto’s accolades are equally impressive. He’s a four-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger, and a batting champion (2020). He played a pivotal role in the Nationals’ 2019 World Series championship, hitting .333 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in the postseason, unlike other superstar hitters. In 2024, with the New York Yankees, Soto delivered an MVP-caliber season, slashing .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs, 129 walks, and an 8.1 fWAR, helping lead the Yankees to their first World Series appearance in 15 years. His ability to perform under pressure is undeniable, with a postseason OPS of 1.178 across multiple playoff runs.
Soto’s approach at the plate is what sets him apart. His elite plate discipline—evidenced by a career walk rate of 17.6% and a chase rate in the 96th percentile (15.1% in 2025)—makes him a nightmare for pitchers. He ranks in the 99th percentile for expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), 97th percentile for average exit velocity, and 96th percentile for hard-hit rate, even in his “down” 2025 season.(!) This isn’t just a good hitter; this is a hitter who redefines what it means to control the strike zone.
Yes, Soto’s 2025 start with the Mets hasn’t matched his usual brilliance. Through his first 53 games, he’s hitting .233 with a .361 on-base percentage, .409 slugging percentage, and an .771 OPS—solid numbers for most players but below his career .945 OPS. His struggles with runners in scoring position (5-for-40, .125) have drawn particular scrutiny, and his ground-ball rate has spiked to over 55% at times, a departure from his typical ability to lift the ball for power. Add in a couple of high-profile instances of not hustling out of the batter’s box—like a 347-foot single off Fenway’s Green Monster that he thought was a homer—and the narrative of a struggling superstar has taken hold.
But let’s not overreact. First, Soto’s “struggles” are relative. A .361 on-base percentage and .771 OPS would be career years for many players. His ability to draw walks (41 in 53 games) remains elite, and he’s still hitting the ball hard, with metrics that place him among the league’s best. Second, this isn’t the first time Soto has started slowly. In 2022, he posted a .795 OPS over his first 48 games, lower than his current .803, and went on to finish with a .947 OPS for the season. Historically, March and April are his worst months, with a career .258 average and .848 OPS in 156 games.
Mechanical issues have been noted, with Soto appearing more upright and less athletic in his stance compared to 2024, potentially contributing to his elevated ground-ball rate. His bat speed is also down slightly, from elite to above-average. But these are fixable flaws for a player with Soto’s work ethic and baseball IQ. He’s already shown signs of turning things around, hitting .346 with four home runs and a 1.340 OPS over a seven-game stretch in early May. On May 7, he crushed two home runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and on May 9, he launched a 434-foot homer. These aren’t the actions of a player in decline; they’re the sparks of a superstar finding his groove.
The reasons to believe in Soto’s imminent resurgence are numerous. First, he’s only 26, in the prime of his career, with a track record of durability (never playing fewer than 150 games in a full season outside his rookie year and the shortened 2020 season). His elite plate discipline and ability to hit for both power and average make prolonged slumps unlikely. The mechanical issues? They’re being addressed. Soto and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza have discussed his batting stance, and adjustments are already yielding results, as evidenced by his recent power surge.
Second, Soto’s mental toughness is well-documented. The pressure of a $765 million contract and the New York spotlight isn’t new to him. He thrived in the Bronx last year, handling the intense scrutiny of Yankee Stadium while posting career-best numbers. The boos from Yankees fans during his return to the Bronx in May and the “greedy” chants didn’t faze him—he reached base five times in 14 plate appearances in that series. As his agent, Scott Boras, noted, Soto’s return to Yankee Stadium was a “catharsis,” allowing him to move past the emotional weight of leaving his former team.
Third, the Mets’ lineup provides Soto with the support he needs to succeed. Batting third behind Francisco Lindor and ahead of Pete Alonso, Soto is part of a potent 1-2-3 punch. Lindor and Soto have combined to reach base 132 times in 2025, setting the table for Alonso’s monster start. This dynamic ensures pitchers can’t avoid Soto, forcing them to challenge him and allowing his elite skills to shine.
Finally, history is on Soto’s side. Players of his caliber don’t stay down for long. Comparisons to Francisco Lindor’s slow start with the Mets in 2021 are apt—Lindor turned it around to become the team’s heart and soul, and Soto, with a stronger track record, is poised to do the same. As former Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez have noted, Soto’s youth and human side are often overlooked. The pressure of a massive contract and a new team takes time to adjust to, but Soto’s talent is undeniable.
The New York media and fanbase are notorious for amplifying every misstep, especially for a player with Soto’s contract and expectations. But the hand-wringing over his early 2025 performance is overblown. This is a player who, at 26, has already achieved more than most do in a lifetime. His current .246/.374/.429 line isn’t what Mets fans hoped for, but it’s far from disastrous, and the underlying metrics—hard-hit rate, walk rate, and expected stats—suggest he’s still one of the game’s best.
Soto’s recent hot streak, including five home runs in May and a .964 OPS for the month, is a reminder of what he’s capable of. The mechanical adjustments, the support of a strong lineup, and his proven ability to perform in big moments all point to one conclusion: Juan Soto will soon be back to his MVP-caliber self. The Mets didn’t sign him to a 15-year deal for what he’s done in 53 games; they signed him for what he’ll do over the next decade and a half.
So, Mets fans…and Yankees fans, relax. Stop parsing every at-bat or critiquing every jog out of the batter’s box. Juan Soto isn’t just going to be fine—he’s going to be phenomenal. The “struggles” of early 2025 will be a distant memory by October, when Soto is likely to be leading the Mets deep into the postseason, just as he’s done everywhere he’s played. The Soto Shuffle will return, the home runs will keep coming, and the narrative will shift from worry to awe. It’s not a matter of if, but when.
