Well, the Mets-White Sox game on Tuesday was the kind of play that leaves fans frozen, broadcasters scrambling for words, and teammates exchanging dull glances. Juan Soto, one of baseball’s most electric talents, found himself at the center of a baffling baserunning blunder. A moment that’s quickly become the latest viral flashpoint in the 2025 MLB season.
But as the clip made the rounds and hot takes flew in every direction, another name started to surface in the discourse: Brandon Nimmo. Yes, to some, he’s the main accused, the veteran outfielder whose choices may have set the chaos in motion. To others, he’s just a heads-up player caught in the same whirlwind. So, is Nimmo the villain here? Depends on who you ask. But he’s got his side of the story, and he’s not without justification.
On Tuesday night, Soto stepped to the plate in the first with one out and Nimmo on first. Soto laced a liner into right-center, a ball that looked destined for trouble. But White Sox center fielder Michael A. Taylor made a full-extension dive, and the ball was trapped, not caught. Still, chaos followed.
Nimmo, having rounded second, slammed the brakes, reversed course, and scrambled back to first. So, in the blur of that uncertainty, Soto, halfway between home and first, was suddenly caught in no-man’s land.The result? A confusing, head-scratching out that left Soto standing on the basepath and fans shaking their heads. “But still, I mean, I went back and looked at it, and he caught it on a short hop. So I can see where everybody was confused and thought that he caught the ball.”
Yes, Nimmo got his point, but refuses to take the blame. Well, the umpire didn’t have the angle. And Nimmo’s hesitation wasn’t without precedent. Remember the Mets’ game against the Nationals? A nearly identical play burned the Mets when umpires ruled a clearly trapped ball as a catch, short-circuiting a potential rally. So, Nimmo hasn’t forgotten. And in that flash of deja vu Tuesday night, caution won out.
While Soto surely had nothing to do with this scene, it was Nimmo who would need to look up to the umpire. But who wants to repeat the same mistake, even at the cost of making a new error?
Juan Soto’s struggles continue
Juan Soto’s slow start to the 2025 season, marked by just 8 home runs through late May, is drawing increased scrutiny. Especially when contemporaries like Shohei Ohtani are already at 20. But history offers several examples of elite hitters who struggled early, only to turn things around dramatically. For instance, in 2015, David Ortiz looked finished by May but rebounded to hit 37 home runs.
Moreover, Freddie Freeman’s sluggish 2016 start gave way to a career-best stretch later that year, and even Ken Griffey Jr. in 2001 had a slow first half before erupting post-All-Star break.
Nevertheless, for Soto, underlying metrics like bat speed and expected home runs suggest the power is still there, albeit underperforming. Yes, Scouts have noted a more passive approach at the plate and a lack of lineup protection, which may be influencing his pitch selection. However, signs of life, such as recent multi-homer games, indicate a potential turnaround.
So, if history is any guide, writing off Soto too early would be a mistake. But it seems like Soto is not only fighting his rough patch this season, but also a bit of hard luck.
Reportedly, despite the low home run total, his expected stats (xSLG: .543) suggest he’s making quality contact more often than the box score reflects. Moreover, Soto’s hard-hit rate remains among the league’s best. Now, Nimmo just added to the list of hard luck for Soto!
Let’s see when and how Juan Soto recovers from his hard luck as the season enters the second half.
The post Unforgiving MLB Steals Juan Soto’s Thunder as Mets Teammate Refuses to Take Blame After Costly Mistake appeared first on EssentiallySports.
