The way in which every little thing unfolded felt like something only the wizardry of Juan Soto could produce.
Within the hours before the Mets opened a series Monday in Minnesota, Soto told The Post’s Mike Puma about how pitchers have attacked him in a different way with Pete Alonso waiting on-deck versus Aaron Judge last 12 months. It got here across as something that teetered on the rationalizing/complaining line, especially when he used the phrase “best hitter in baseball behind me” to reference Judge when Alonso — hitting .356 with a .729 slugging percentage and quickly approaching the Mets’ all-time home run record — has orchestrated a powerful opening act to 2025, too.
But then Soto went out and homered throughout the Mets’ win, suggesting that just when the doubts and questions start stacking up against a slower-than-expected start, their $765 million man and generational hitter will discover a option to produce.
That, really, captured the Mets’ first 16 games perfectly. Even with Soto homering just once in his first 15 games and counting on walks to achieve base as often as he does, even with Brett Baty hitting just .139 and seemingly on the verge of jeopardizing his roster spot within the majors, even with Mark Vientos hitting .138 with zero — zero! — homers after his postseason heroics, the Mets still led the National League East.
The way in which every little thing unfolded felt like something only the wizardry of Juan Soto could produce.
Within the hours before the Mets opened a series Monday in Minnesota, Soto told The Post’s Mike Puma about how pitchers have attacked him in a different way with Pete Alonso waiting on-deck versus Aaron Judge last 12 months. It got here across as something that teetered on the rationalizing/complaining line, especially when he used the phrase “best hitter in baseball behind me” to reference Judge when Alonso — hitting .356 with a .729 slugging percentage and quickly approaching the Mets’ all-time home run record — has orchestrated a powerful opening act to 2025, too.
But then Soto went out and homered throughout the Mets’ win, suggesting that just when the doubts and questions start stacking up against a slower-than-expected start, their $765 million man and generational hitter will discover a option to produce.
That, really, captured the Mets’ first 16 games perfectly. Even with Soto homering just once in his first 15 games and counting on walks to achieve base as often as he does, even with Brett Baty hitting just .139 and seemingly on the verge of jeopardizing his roster spot within the majors, even with Mark Vientos hitting .138 with zero — zero! — homers after his postseason heroics, the Mets still led the National League East.
