Mets outfielder Juan Soto has been performing decently this season, maintaining consistent at-bats for a struggling team. After losing the series finale to the Phillies on Sunday, the Mets dropped four consecutive series. These issues led to the dismissal of manager Carlos Mendoza.
The core problem, however, may also involve executives and star players evading leadership and accountability. Former hitting coach Eric Chavez said on the EC3 podcast that Soto received preferential treatment from David Stearns, despite the team and staff noticing.
“I think he’s [Soto] one of the coolest human beings. Just a really good person, but he struggled emotionally during the first two months, and I don’t blame him. It was a big move going from the Yankees… I even tapped him to be an MVP-type player, and he’s going off hitting-wise; he’s unreal, but he struggled, and in between innings, he would run from the outfield and go sit on a couch in the batting cage and not be in the dugout. As I said, I’m not throwing one,” Chavez said.
“This isn’t a Juan issue, right? This is a lack of leadership, a lack of accountability from the top down, and we had an assistant GM who would sit there with him and kind of coddle him, tapping him on the shoulder without saying, ‘Hey, dude, how about getting in the dugout with your teammates,’ right? Yeah, and so I brought this up to Stearns, and I said this is a huge problem because now younger players on the team, they’re seeing this, and you guys are allowing this, and he goes, ‘Well, those players need to learn that they’re not Juan Soto,'” he added.
The Mets ended their seven-game homestand 1-6, being swept by the Cubs and winning once against the Phillies. Management made minor coaching changes. Fans are furious over the poor performance despite a high payroll and star roster.
Juan Soto Has Been the Bright Spot for the Struggling Mets
Despite this year’s struggles, Soto’s hitting stats give fans hope for the team’s future. The Mets signed him to a 15-year, $765 million deal after 2024. Last year, he hit 43 home runs, drove in 105 RBIs, and won the Silver Slugger. Although the team missed the postseason, Soto continues to perform well.
He currently has a .300 average, 17 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .972 OPS, with projections of 33 HR and 75 RBIs this year, despite the team’s 35-49 record and a 15-game deficit to the NL East-leading Braves. The eternal underdogs of baseball will now hit the road for a three-game series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
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