It has been a month since the 2025 MLB regular season began, and so far there are some players who have felt the pressure of being constantly in the spotlight of fans and experts.
Dominican slugger Juan Soto has fallen short after his record contract with the New York Mets, and was placed on a list published by ESPN as a “disappointment” at the start of the season, even with the possibility of being left out of the All-Star Game, which will take place on July 15 at the Atlanta Braves’ ballpark.
The same is true of the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has fallen short in this first month of the season.
ESPN’s ‘revealing’ list for the All-Star Game
Recently, ESPN published a list of potential All-Star players according to statistics after the first games of the year, and divided it into three:
- All-Star Player
- Player to watch
- Disappointment.
In the first list, the names of Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso appear among the best players this year, unlike the Latin Americans Soto and Guerrero.
These last two players seem to be weighed down by the mega contracts they recently signed with their respective teams.
Soto signed for $765 million dollars and 15 years with the Mets, while Guerrero received a $500 million dollar extension with the Blue Jays and 14 years.
In the Mets, while Soto has just a couple of home runs and 12 RBIs in the month with a .256 average, Pete Alonso has a batting average of .333 with six home runs and 26 RBIs, and not only that, Alonso’s discipline changed for this year and his extra-base hits have been flying in all directions on the diamond.
Judge’s impressive start to the season
Like Alonso, the New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is having an eye-catching season with potentially historic numbers.
The Bronx Bombers outfielder has an impressive average of .405 at bat, with eight home runs, 28 RBIs and 25 runs scored, MVP-worthy numbers, and he has also had some flashes of enormous quality playing in the outfield on defense.
For now, Judge and Alonso are setting the pace, while Soto and Guerrero can’t find their rhythm in the batter’s box, which could cost them their All-Star Game nomination in Atlanta.
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