Struggling a bit to start his career with the Mets after signing the highest-paid contract in MLB history over the offseason, Juan Soto received a standing ovation from the fans at Citi Field on Friday night in an attempt to show their support for the outfielder and help lift him from the doldrums.
Since then, Soto is 5-for-10 with five RBI, including a big 2-for-3 day in Sunday’s series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals. The recent hot streak has raised Soto’s batting average to .256 and he’s shown no signs of slowing down.
“It’s a great feeling when you have the fanbase supporting you when you’re doing bad, when you’re doing good — it’s just great,” Soto said after the game. “I really appreciate what they did. I feel like they don’t know how meaningful that is. It means a lot to the players when they do that. It’s really special.”
Soto’s biggest hit during the four-game series was a two-run double in the eighth inning off reliever Ryan Fernandez that helped secure New York’s 7-4 win against St. Louis. The double (which came with two strikes) split the gap in left-center field and had an exit velocity of 106.9 mph, showing off the 26-year-old’s opposite field power.
“In the beginning I was trying to go yard, but when he put me in the [two-strike] hole I just tried to put the ball in play. He made a good pitch and I made a better swing,” Soto said.
It’s a swing that Soto has been working on since the start of the season and it’s finally begun to pay off.
In fact, on Saturday manager Carlos Mendoza saw something in the outfielder’s swing on a foul ball to left field that he really liked and thought “that’s what it is right there.”
After talking about it with Soto after the game, both agreed that “something clicked” during that at-bat which has resulted in his recent performance.
“When you see him driving the ball the other way with authority the way he did with that double in the gap, that’s a good sign,” Mendoza said. “When he’s going good, that’s the A swing there.”
The timing of the standing ovation and Soto’s improved production at the plate could just be a coincidence. After all, he wasn’t going to struggle all season long.
However, it’s true that Mets fans packed Citi Field during the four games over the weekend and have been creating an incredible atmosphere for the players, especially with the calendar still saying April.
And with a 9-1 record at home, it must be working.
“It’s been great, this crowd has been unbelievable day in and day out,” Soto said. “I really love the support. They’ve been great since day one, so thank you.”
The next challenge awaiting New York will be the Philadelphia Phillies who are set to begin a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Monday. It will be the first time the Mets’ division rivals are back in New York since getting eliminated from the playoffs in the NLDS last season.
Even with the Phillies — who will enter Monday two games back of the Mets in the NL East standings — potentially extra motivated to avenge their season-ending loss this series, the Mets aren’t getting caught up in any of the hoopla that might lie ahead.
“We just gotta focus on what we wanna do,” Soto said. “We’re not looking at the standings or anything right now, it’s way too early. We’re just trying to win series. That’s the mindset.”
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