With a $765 million contract on his shoulders, Juan Soto arrived at the New York Mets with the label of offensive savior. But after more than a month of activity, his numbers have been below expectations.
The Dominican outfielder is hitting just .238, with only five home runs and 17 RBIs in more than 40 games, figures that contrast with his averages from previous seasons, where he used to stay above .280 and easily surpass 25 home runs per year.
The lack of impact has not gone unnoticed, especially in a city like New York, where the media pressure is constant. However, manager Carlos Mendoza has publicly come out in defense of his star
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza came to the defense of Juan Soto over the problems he has had in his first games with the Mets, as everything is new for him, from the team, the contract and the expectations, however, he believes that the advice of former player Carlos Beltran, who retired almost 10 years ago, will help the Dominican outfielder to overcome the slump.
“They are having those conversations… Beltran went through it, not many people have been in that situation, with a big contract, playing for the first time with a new team, so yes, I’m pretty sure they talk about it. He will continue to have those conversations with him,” Mendoza said.
Carlos Beltran’s mentorship of Juan Soto
While the team’s offense needs to improve, the coaching staff is relying on the recovery of its most expensive hitter, knowing that, beyond the current statistics, Soto’s talent is not in doubt, and with Beltran’s mentoring he will be able to get ahead.
“He’s a Hall of Fame player, and he’s going to get there. Just having him around and sharing his knowledge and experiences is a different perspective,” added the Mets manager.
For his part, Carlos Beltran recalled his experience with what Soto is going through in terms of his performance and his first visit to the Bronx, as when he played with the Mets, on his first visit to Houston he was booed by the fans.
“When I went back to Houston that first time, I had never heard a player get booed like I was booed,” Beltran recalled, adding, “But you have to let it go and try not to let it affect your performance or your preparation. Sometimes you can get caught up in trying too hard. I think Soto did a great job.”
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