One of the goals that Juan Soto and the Mets have in common is to win the National League East. For the franchise, it is important to leave the Phillies and Braves out of the way to take the throne that they have not conquered for a decade. For the outfielder, it is of utmost priority to achieve this if he wants to snatch his third MVP from Ohtani.
But that’s not the only thing Soto should be looking for. Knowing that he is one of the baseball players who have the tools to compete with the Dodgers pitcher in order to win the 2026 MVP, he has to strengthen other areas to become the number one candidate to win that award.
He better keep doing what he’s doing, because I’m coming for him
Start at a steady pace
In the 2025 season, Ohtani posted 7.5 WAR as a position player, with 55 home runs and a wRC+ of 172. Meanwhile, Soto had 43 home runs, a wRC+ of 156 and 5.8 fWAR. If the Dominican wants to be a serious MVP contender, he must be consistent and maintain the same level from the first to the last game.
The Mets player did not look throughout the campaign as he did between the beginning and the final stretch, producing just eight home runs, a wRC+ of 112 and 0.6 fWAR in 55 games until May 29. He was, for many, the best position player in the National League. This criterion is based on his latest numbers:
- First with 5.2 fWAR
- Tied for second with 35 HR
- First with 31 stolen bases
- First among those qualified with a wRC+ of 179
Consolidate in base stealing
While not a sprinter, Soto has worked on his fitness to run faster. He confirmed that last season by reaching 38 stolen bases, a figure with which he led the National League. Prior to 2025, his mark was 12.
Ohtani was much less effective on the bases. In the campaign he stole 20 in 26 attempts. This is where there is an opportunity for the Dominican to surpass the Japanese, who has a weak point in this aspect
Perfecting to defend, its weak side
The Mets slugger’s Achilles’ heel is his defense. Soto has been one of the most deficient right fielders in MLB since his rookie season in 2018, and tied for last at the position with -12 Outs Above Average (OAA) a year ago. That’s why the team will move him to left field in 2026, although he hasn’t been a good defender there either (-9 lifetime OAA).
Soto admits that defending is what he finds most difficult. Honest with himself, he recently sent a message to the franchise’s fans to commit to improving his defensive performance.
People think there’s nothing left to do, but the pride of a true player is to keep showing something new, something different, compared to the rest
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