Ever since Juan Soto left the New York Yankees and inked a massive deal with their crosstown rival, things have gone awry. Hopes were high among fans who wanted to see him hit it big out of the park. And more than anything, it all came down to his historic $765 million contract! And now that the noise has gotten even louder with his early struggles this season, Juan Soto’s agent has made some surprising analysis.
And the conversation got most of the heat, especially in the middle of May, when Juan Soto stepped up for the first time at the Bronx with his new team. And as expected, the heartbroken Yankee fans didn’t stop booing him throughout the three-game series. “It was the first time Soto got to see a lot of his old teammates, and they accomplished a lot together,” Scott Boras mentioned. And stressing Soto’s transition from the Yankees to the Mets and his struggles, Scott Boras believed that it was “psychological.”
According to Boras, Juan Soto struggled because of the contract. The price tag was the reason why most started treating him differently. “It’s different. You’re treated differently because of your contract status. Everybody’s aware, and you kind of want it to be how it was, not how it is. And you have to learn the ‘is’ part, and it’s a new part of the process.” And probably, Soto needs to learn to live with his new reality and adapt accordingly.
After listening to what Boras said, we cannot help but think about the New York Mets and Yankees’ first faceoff in 2025. As Jorge Castillo wrote in his article, Soto’s return to the Yankees stadium was a ‘hurdle’ in his acclimation. But Boras believed that it was part of the game. The only thing Soto can do is to overcome the challenges and move ahead to create a special place in the hearts of the Mets’ fans.
But all that being said, we cannot forget the immense criticism he has faced for his ‘lack of hustle and his trademark hitting ability.’
If you remember the game between the Yankees and the Mets, it was tied at the end of the eighth inning. After hitting the ball across the ground, it was fielded by DJ LeMahieu. Rather than hustling to first base, Soto was too lethargic to run. If only he had, he could have been safe.
Another similar incident was when he hit one to the Green Monster in Boston. Thinking it to be a home run, he didn’t hustle, and he was able to acquire only a single. Seems like there are multiple instances of him being too casual in running.
Remember how he used to stare at the pitchers when the pitches were out of the strike zone? That gave him a lot of confidence to hit it big – real big. However, all that is missing right now. Is this struggle really related to his big-time dollars?
Despite showing flashes of his potential, Juan Soto has been rather quiet this season. His batting average of .238, 11 home runs, and 31 RBIs at an .811 OPS can never justify the caliber Soto has. Even during the series finale against the Dodgers on Thursday, Soto managed only two walks without any hits. These numbers literally can put anyone to shame, especially for a player like Juan Soto, who had a batting average of .285 and a .953 OPS in the first seven seasons.
But right now, it seems like his luck might be turning in his favor.
Juan Soto shines in Mets victory over the Dodgers
Under the bright lights and cheers of fans, it felt like Juan Soto was back in form. After going through early-season struggles, he showed some improvements, finally. Well, if you have seen his performance when facing the Dodgers on Wednesday, you will also agree.
In his second and third appearances at the plate, Soto made some walks and handled the pitches well, which were missing earlier. Not only did he show good control over the pitches thrown by Tony Gonsolin, but he also looked confident. Soto finished 0-for-1 with three walks and an RBI groundout. Finally, the return of the “Soto shuffle!”
His on-base percentage over the last seven games has also improved to .484. But yeah, we agree that there’s still a long way to go.
“It’s a little difficult because it’s frustrating not seeing the results in what you’re doing. But I have a good routine; I have confidence in it.” Soto remains optimistic that he can do better. And while doing so, he is also keeping the mood light in the clubhouse – yep, we cannot get over the bottle flip!
Amidst all these, Davis Stearns has instilled faith in him. Hopefully, it’s just a matter of time before we see him displaying his potential in the upcoming games.
The post Juan Soto’s Agent Makes Startling $765M Contract Link With Early Season Mets Struggles: “Treated Differently” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
