It’s been a season of whiplash in Queens. The New York Mets started hot, racing to a 45-24 record and looking every bit like a contender. Then the bottom fell out. Since June, the club has stumbled into mediocrity, sinking 17 games under .500 at one point and watching a promising year turn into another late-season nightmare.
Back in May, Juan Soto was the target of boos at Citi Field, slogging through the worst slump of his career while the rest of the team thrived. Now the tables have turned. Tim Britton of The Athletic noted that Soto has become the one untouchable part of this roster – the player fans serenade with “M-V-P!” chants while everything else crumbles around him.
The difference is simple: Soto is doing things almost no one in the history of the sport has ever done.
Soto Joins Ohtani and Bonds in Rare Company
With 42 home runs, 35 stolen bases, and 123 walks, Soto has forced his way into an exclusive MLB club. Only two players have ever hit at least 40 homers, swiped 35 bags, and drawn 100 walks in the same season: Barry Bonds in the late 1990s, and now, Soto. Shohei Ohtani is the only modern-day star to even sniff this territory, and Soto has matched him stride for stride.
At a time when the Mets’ bullpen is imploding and the defense is unraveling, Soto’s production stands out like neon in the dark. Every swing, every stolen base, every walk has kept the Mets on life support in the Wild Card race.
The reality, though, is brutal. New York sits at 80-76, tied with the Reds for the final Wild Card spot, with the Diamondbacks just one game back. Six games remain – three against the Cubs, three against the Marlins – and one bad series could sink them. The Reds own the tiebreaker, so every misstep could be fatal.
The supporting cast hasn’t helped. David Peterson has coughed up 21 earned runs across his last four starts. Francisco Lindor’s costly throw, Pete Alonso’s miscues, and a carousel of struggling outfielders have turned defense into a liability. Tyrone Taylor’s return from injury offers hope, but it may be too late.
Soto’s numbers are historic, but baseball doesn’t care about individual greatness when the standings tell another story. If the Mets collapse, 2025 won’t be remembered as Soto’s MVP campaign – it’ll be remembered as another chapter in New York heartbreak.
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