Ex-Mets pitcher criticizes Juan Soto’s effort, claims ‘his spirit not quite the same’

New York Mets slugger Juan Soto has come under fire after his Monday performance against the Boston Red Sox. The highest-paid player in the sport found himself leading off the sixth inning and squaring up every inch of the baseball.

He sent a rocket off his bat at 102 mph to left field, and admired it for a bit before heading to first base. Unfortunately, it was a chilly night in Boston with the winds blowing in, and Soto's blast smacked the left field wall, resulting in only a single.

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After the game, manager Carlos Mendoza said he would have a talk with Soto about not hustling out of the box. On Tuesday, former Mets reliever Adam Ottavino sat with the crew on MLB Now to speak about the situation.

"I mean, you got to bust it. I think it goes without saying, especially when you're trying to set the tone for the team. You're considered a team leader," said Ottavino.

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Ottavino got straight to the point, saying Juan Soto needs to hustle everything out. He is looked at as one of the team's leaders, and he needs to set the right example for others to follow.

"He's got no breathing room to slack off at all, nor should he. But, he's learning that lesson the hard way right now, & I resisted this narrative for a while, but the body language doctor & what I've been checking out, something is up a little bit. His spirit is not quite the same" he added.

Ottavino believes something is up with Soto. He does not see the same type of energy he has seen in the past from the four-time All-Star.

Lack of hustle is not the only concerning thing for the Mets and Juan Soto

New York Mets - Juan Soto (Photo via IMAGN)

Juan Soto's lack of hustle against the Red Sox is not the only thing the Mets should be concerned with. His approach at the plate this season has seemed a bit off.

The former New York Yankees slugger has one of the best eyes in the game and understands the strike zone better than some umpires. However, he has been taking more and more strikes than he ever has this season.

For the last four years, Soto has had an in-zone swing rate around 62 percent. In May alone, that has dropped to 54 percent, which means he is passing on strikes more than ever before.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom