Dominican slugger Juan Soto has begun to put behind him the moments of tension that accompanied him every time he stepped up to the plate. After a prolonged drought of 17 games without a home run, the Mets outfielder responded with power on consecutive nights, breathing new life into the New York faithful.
First it was the home run on Saturday against the Rockies, a 404-foot home run into the wind that ended the losing streak. And on Sunday, in the series finale against Colorado, Soto again left his mark, this time in the eighth inning, with a solid hit that extended the Mets’ lead and sent Citi Field into a frenzy.
“I knew it was gone”: Soto celebrates with the crowd
In front of more than 43,000 fans, Soto not only hit his 10th home run of the season, but also responded to the unwavering support of the fans, who chanted his name from the right-field stands. “It’s a great feeling to feel that kind of support,” the slugger said after the game.
The hit, which left the bat at 110.1 MPH and traveled 388 feet, was key in the 5-3 victory over Colorado. “He took a really good swing,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “With the conditions that were there, to get it out like that was pretty impressive.”
A necessary spark for the Mets
With this home run, Juan Soto already has 620 RBIs in his Major League career, and is only 27 away from catching Starling Marte among Dominicans. In a season in which his average and production have been below expectations, the power is beginning to reappear at decisive moments.
The highlight of the game was seeing Soto, Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor hit home runs in the same game for the first time. “We’re going to get hot, and it’s going to be exciting when that happens,” Alonso said, in what many hope will be the definitive takeoff of the Mets’ offensive trio.
Soto knows he has not lived up to the multi-million dollar contract he signed, but his recent performances send a clear message: his talent remains intact. The Mets, now at the top of the National League East, hope this offensive upturn is the start of a hot summer for their Dominican star.
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