Mets veteran sticks up for Juan Soto: Breakout is coming for our hard-working teammate

NEW YORK — Mets right fielder Juan Soto‘s transition from “face” to “heel,” at least in the eyes of Yankees fans, was one he should have seen coming.

But it seemed that the incessant heckling by jilted fans in the Bronx during the Subway Series earlier this month and Soto’s struggles have resulted in those outside of the Mets’ clubhouse projecting misery all over him.

NJ Advance Media’s Bob Klapisch recently reported the Mets’ concern for Soto’s “lack of enthusiasm,” while Yankees YES Network announcer Michael Kay reported through a source that Soto is “very glum in the clubhouse.”

None of this is true, according to Mets veteran Starling Marte, who’s become very close with Soto since the star signed a record-setting $765 million contract in the offseason.

“He’s doing a good job. He interacts with the guys well and talks to them,” Marte told NJ Advance Media at his locker in the Mets’ clubhouse on Monday. “He spends a lot of time in the cages — almost every day. He’s starting to feel better with each passing day.

“He’s a guy who doesn’t pay much attention to what’s said in the media. He focuses on being better every day and works really hard.”

Those comments are echoed throughout the Mets’ clubhouse — from Marte to manager Carlos Mendoza to shortstop Francisco Lindor, who told ESPN viewers during Sunday’s broadcast, “That’s a winning player right there. His ability to pay attention to details, all he cares about winning. ... He’s a great teammate.”

Behind the scenes, Soto is described as a hard worker who cares about his teammates and is unlucky right now. (Soto’s Statcast page is a sea of red, with percentiles in elite territory, except for his “sweet spot,” which describes hitting the ball at the right angles.)

Perhaps his apparent glumness or unhappiness is because he hasn’t performed up to his expectations?

Through 54 games, Soto’s batting .236/.363/.414 with a 123 OPS+ and eight home runs. That’s good production for most players, but not compared to Soto’s norms (158 OPS+) and especially not close to what he was for the Yankees last season. In 2024, Soto posted career bests in home runs (41), slugging (.569), and OPS+ (179) in a 162-game season, helping the Yankees make it to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

After cashing in the biggest paycheck in pro sports, who wouldn’t feel disappointed by a slow start?

Marte has some advice for his 26-year-old Dominican compatriot who is stuck in a 7 for 49 rut.

“I just tell him to stay the course and be patient because everything will fall into place,” Marte said before the game against the Chicago White Sox. “Everybody knows the caliber of player he is. So, keep working hard because he’s hitting the ball really hard, and they’re just not falling. But when they do start to fall, everyone will see how great he is. And he’ll start to feel better.”

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Manny Gómez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com.