"There’s nothing else we can do" - Juan Soto makes feelings known as Mets fight to rebound

The New York Mets continue to slide in the postseason race as the National League East suffered their eighth consecutive defeat after a 3-2 loss against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

The Mets had a 2-0 lead in the game after the seventh inning, but allowed the Rangers a way back into the game with a two-run eighth inning before Wyatt Langford's go-ahead single in the ninth helped Texas to consecutive wins over the Mets.

All-Star outfielder Juan Soto, who registered his 40th home run of the season in Saturday's loss, wore a frustrated look. The Mets outfielder made his feelings known when asked about his message for the fans.

"Keep hoping, Soto said. "Because we're going to turn this around. We're going out there, we're giving our 100% every night. There's nothing else we can do."

The Mets are three games above .500 after the loss and are clinging to the third NL Wild Card spot for the time being.

“It’s crazy how the games have been going,’’ Soto said. “But we’ve gotta keep grinding. I still 100 percent believe this is a playoff team. We’re going to turn this thing around. Just look around at the talent. We have everything we need to go all the way.”

Juan Soto downplays milestone hit during Mets' loss against Rangers

With the 40th home run of the season on Saturday, Juan Soto reached the 40-30 club, becoming the first player in Mets history to reach the landmark. However, the All-Star outfielder didn't give much weight to personal milestones.

“We’ve got bigger things in front of us, Soto said. "We’ve gotta go out and get it (postseason spot).”

The Mets have been outscored 47-20 in their last eight games with the bullpen receiving flak for Friday's loss. Despite conceding a game-deciding RBI single in the ninth inning, Soto backed closer Edwin Diaz.

"We definitely have to figure out what’s going on, Soto said. "We’ve been playing our ass off every night. It’s just not going our way. We have the best closer in baseball. He just made one mistake and they made him pay. It’s just crazy how the game’s been going. But, like I said, we’re gonna keep grinding, keep moving forward."

While the Mets are 4-11 in their last 15 games, Soto has been hot at the plate during that stretch, slashing .392/.492/.882 with eight home runs, 18 RBIs, and nine stolen bases.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash