Juan Soto’s debut with the New York Mets was supposed to be a celebration. It was supposed to be a moment where the Dominican star would showcase why he’s worth every penny of his record-breaking $765 million contract. But baseball has a way of humbling even its brightest stars. It wasn’t just a rough outing for Soto; it had everyone scratching their heads. And then, in a surprising twist, he opened up about facing the Houston Astros‘ ace, who’s raking in a cool $95 million. His thoughts were pretty eye-opening, and they’ve got fans buzzing about what’s next for both him and the Mets. Curious?
Before we get into the details, let’s first look at what made it so tough for Soto. It all came down to Josh Hader, the Astros’ $95 million closer, who was absolutely looked at. Soto once had a golden opportunity in the game to flip the script in the ninth inning. But what did he do? He chased an outside slider from Hader—a pitch that was nowhere near the strike zone—and struck out, sealing a 3-1 loss for New York.
Soto knew things shouldn’t have gone the way they did. That’s why he didn’t even shy away from taking responsibility. Reflecting on the at-bat, he admitted, “I mean, I was expecting to be up in the moment in that situation, like the whole of that. He let the ball go in the last pitch, and he got me now. It was a pretty good pitch. A slider down the way; I wasn’t expecting it as well.” Breaking it down, Soto was clearly caught off guard by Hader’s ability to mix speeds and locations so admirably. That slider wasn’t just any pitch—it was perfectly placed to exploit Soto’s aggression in a high-pressure moment.
Soto continued, “His best pitch is the fastball, so I was thinking the fastball.” He was anticipating Hader’s signature heater, and honestly, it wasn’t a wrong guess. But what came next truly caught him off guard. Astros ace threw a slider that clipped the outside zone, leaving Soto swinging and frustrated as Hader sealed the game with a strikeout. Interestingly, Hader was once Soto’s teammate when they played together for the San Diego Padres. This makes it hard to ignore the fact that Hader likely knows a lot about Soto’s tendencies. Tensions ran high when the two faced off, and it was Hader who came out on top.
Soto’s arrival in Queens wasn’t just about adding another bat to the lineup, it was a statement. His $765 million contract wasn’t just a paycheck; it was a bet on his ability to transform the Mets into perennial contenders. But Soto himself admitted, no player can carry a team alone, and very well, he can’t be solely blamed for the loss. The Mets struggled overall on the field, and another player who faced criticism for a poor Opening Day performance was Clay Holmes. Now, what did he do?
Clay Holmes’ comfort zone costs Mets in Opening Day loss
Problems seem to be piling up for the Mets right now. While it’s been a flop show from Soto, Holmes’ performance has been dismal as well. During spring training, the 32-year-old showed remarkable promise, but on Opening Day, things went completely wrong. The main reason? Around 34 percent of his throws were sinkers during spring training. But his over-reliance on sinkers has got fans really concerned. Especially given the positives he showed earlier, it’s quite surprising, isn’t it?
The former All-Star has been mixing his pitches for quite some time, whether it’s the four-seam fastball, slider, cutter, sweeper, or even changeup. However, as a starting pitcher, around 49 percent of his pitches on Opening Day were sinkers—with hardly any changeups. And that’s where things went wrong! The Astros are known for their heavy right-handed offense, which didn’t falter against Holmes’ pitches, as those tend to work best against left-handed hitters. By sticking to his comfort zone, Holmes missed an opportunity to adapt, and the Mets ultimately failed to capitalize, losing to the Astros.
We all know sinkers can be a path to gain success, but if you don’t pitch them perfectly, you’re bound to face the consequences. What do you think might have been the reason behind the Mets’ poor performance on Opening Day? Let us know in the comments.
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