The New York Mets hope this season is way better than last one. To do so, they need their stars to deliver on a consistent basis. It seems like Juan Soto is ready to roll and even his teammates are telling him so.
“Are you getting bigger, or am I getting smaller?” That’s what Luke Weaver said to Soto after the Dominican showed up looking bigger and more muscular than ever. For Soto, nothing has changed much in his preparation though.
“I feel like last year’s offseason was kind of tough,” Soto said. “I was going through a lot of ups and downs. Traveling a lot. Moving everywhere. Getting phone calls. Stopping workouts in the middle. It just wasn’t my best workouts. This year, I could work a little harder and have a little more fun with it.” All in all, Soto said he was more comfortable this offseason, and that has helped him develop physically.
Soto also wants to help a new teammate blossom on the Mets
With Soto being very comfortable with his routine, that also leaves room for him to emerge as a leader and help new teammates. For instance, Soto is eager to help Luis Robert Jr. fulfill his potential at center field.
Last year, defensive metrics ranked Soto as the second-worst right fielder in the league. He’s been vocal about his commitment to improvement, and he put that into practice on Saturday, logging four clean innings in left field and cleanly handling a base hit. So, while he improves, he hopes Robert improves as well.
The Mets outfielders are very boom-or-bust
As per now, Juan Soto will line up at left field, with Robert Jr. going in center field, and Carson Benge will play right field. Juan Soto is a boom-or-bust player, though his “boom” is way more probable than his “bust.” Robert Jr. embodies the tag, though he could be an elite glove and a power bat if he can flourish.
As for Benge, he is one of the Mets more exciting prospects. However, he is a rookie, so there is quite an adjustment on that regard as he levels up to the big leagues. If all goes well, the outfielders could become one of the team’s biggest strenghts.