Juan Soto’s weekend against the Colorado Rockies might just be the spark the New York Mets needed. After a drought that stretched back to May 9, Soto finally found his groove, hitting home runs in back-to-back wins over the lowly Rockies. It was a sight for sore eyes, especially for Mets fans who’ve been waiting for the 26-year-old to justify his massive 15-year, $765 million contract. “Coming through for the team is always great, so I’m really happy with that,” Soto said after New York’s 5-3 victory on Sunday, as shared by Robert Sanchez of SNY. “I’ve felt good since Day 1, the results just haven’t been there. So for me, finally I’m getting some balls landing, finding some holes and some gaps. We just gotta keep working on it.” It’s a mindset that’s been tested, but Soto’s weekend—4-for-9 with two homers, a double, and three RBI—suggests he’s turning the corner.
The pressure on Soto has been immense. Boos echoed through Citi Field in late May as he struggled, and reports suggested he might have preferred staying with the Yankees after their 2024 World Series run. His family convinced him to join the Mets, but the first two months have been a rollercoaster. Against the Rockies, though, he looked like the Soto of old, especially with that clutch home run in the eighth inning on Sunday, a moment that saw him drop to a knee in signature fashion. “The one-knee thing, I never think about it,” Soto explained to David Adler of the MLB website. “It just happens.” It’s a reminder of his potential, and for a Mets team that’s 37-22 and just two games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies (35-19), it couldn’t come at a better time.
Soto’s numbers through 58 games—.233/.363/.429 with a .792 OPS, 10 homers, and 28 RBI—are disappointing, but Sunday’s game was a turning point. It was the first time he, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso all homered in the same game, a trio that’s got Mets fans dreaming big. “We’ll get hot, and it’s gonna be exciting when that happens,” Alonso said, and with the Los Angeles Dodgers (36-23) up next, the stage is set. The Mets beat the Dodgers twice in three games at Citi Field from May 23-25, so there’s momentum. For Soto, it’s about building on this weekend, silencing the doubters, and proving he’s worth every penny. The Mets are counting on it, and with Alonso and Lindor by his side, the potential for a scorching summer is real. Stay tuned, because if Soto keeps this up, the Mets might just be unstoppable.
