August has been a mixed month for the New York Mets, who have gone through some tough stretches.
Perhaps the most positive thing about this month for the Mets is the incredible production of superstar outfielder Juan Soto. There was a lot of controversy about him at the beginning of the season due to his slow start, especially after he signed a historic 15-year, $765 million contract during the preseason. Expectations for him are sky high, and that’s not going to change.
Soto immortalised
In August, Soto lived up to those expectations. Going into Saturday’s game against the Marlins, the 26-year-old had a .263/.418/.516 slash line with a tOPS+ of 112 and an sOPS+ of 155. Those numbers improved even further with his performance that afternoon, going 2-for-2 with two home runs and two walks.
With one day left in August, he has already made MLB history. According to OptaSTATS, Soto is the first player in MLB history to hit at least 10 home runs, steal at least 10 bases and be walked at least 25 times in a single month. He has 10 walks and has been walked 27 times this August.
Numbers have to be supported by performance
Fulfilling the huge contract he signed will be incredibly difficult; Most Valuable Player awards and World Series rings are expected while he is with the franchise. However, he is putting up very good numbers as one of the most important pieces in the team’s lineup.
On the season, Soto is slashing .254/.395/.508 with 35 home runs and 84 RBIs. He has scored more than 100 runs for the second consecutive season and third in his career. The stolen bases are already a personal best and he has a realistic chance of surpassing his career high of 41 home runs.
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