Mets president gives verdict on Juan Soto's debut season after $765,000,000 blockbuster deal

David Stearns believes Juan Soto has lived up to expectations in his first season with the New York Mets following his record-breaking $765 million contract. The president of baseball operations praised Soto's all-around contributions, spotlighting his production at the plate and growth in other facets of the game.

Soto joined the Mets this year after his historic deal made headlines. Fans and the media pointed to a dip in his OPS compared to his sole season with the Yankees. However, the All-Star remains among the league leaders in home runs, walks and stolen bases.

Stearns addressed the criticism on Tuesday when asked about Soto's season.

"He's had a really good year," Stearns said on Tuesday (39:39), via "The Show." "I don’t know what else to say. This guy's been really, really good, and he's demonstrated a continued desire to improve."

Stearns added how Soto has expanded his game beyond what the team expected when it signed him.

"He may steal 30 bases this year," Stearns said. "There is a reasonable chance that he’s going to be a 30-30 player, maybe a 40-30 player. Certainly that’s not what I expected when we signed him, but he seems to target elements of his game that, in his mind, are not up to his standards and he works to improve on them."

Soto is seventh in home runs with 32 and leads the league in walks with 104. He has also surprised many on the basepaths, swiping 21 bags after never stealing more than 12 in a season.

However, the Mets are six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. They still have the chance to win the division, and Soto will play an integral part in achieving it.

Mets president shares why Juan Soto's performance is not appreciated

David Stearns acknowledged the perception issues surrounding Juan Soto's season. He suggested that they may have stemmed from comparisons to his Yankees playoff run when he outperformed Aaron Judge.

"He (Juan Soto) probably got off to a little bit of a slower start than everyone was anticipating," Stearns said on Tuesday (40:17), via 'The Show."

"Certainly a slower start than he got off to last year across town. And maybe that’s still in people’s minds a little bit, and that’s clouding the perception of the year as a whole. But this has been a really, really good year."

Sterns also said that Soto is having an elite-level year, highlighting that he has helped the team win games. The Mets president added that he believes Soto will continue to do so, and he is thrilled to see it.

About the author

Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez