The struggles continue for the New York Mets’ $765 million man, Juan Soto.

Soto, hitless in his last 14 at-bats, has now seen his batting average (.224) dip 57 points below his career average in a first half that has thus far been a massive disappointment relative to expectations for his first season in Queens. And as the struggles compound, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns believes that Soto is pressing.

“I honestly don’t have like a ‘this is the issue he needs to fix to get better’,” Stearns said when asked what he believes the issue is. “I think he’s taking pretty good at-bats. Controlling the strike zone pretty well. Hitting the ball on the ground a little bit more than he has in the past. That’s something he’s aware of.”

“But telling yourself, ‘Hey, I need to hit the ball in the air more,’ doesn’t immediately translate to hitting the ball in the air more. Do I think he’s trying to do a little bit too much right now? Yeah, I think he’s probably trying to do a little bit too much right now. And that is natural for a player who cares about improving.”

Stearns’s words somewhat echo those of Soto’s agent Scott Boras, who told Sports lllustrated’s Tom Verducci that he believes Soto is having a hard time getting used to wearing “the crown” as baseball’s highest-paid player. And while there are a whole host of reasons for Soto’s underwhelming start to 2025, Mets brass has been unified in the belief that this too shall pass.

Stearns on Friday didn’t seem concerned about Soto and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has been adamant that Soto is passing the “eye test” despite the lack of results at the dish. Even Mets owner Steve Cohen, the man who opened his checkbook to sign Soto to the biggest contract in North American sports history, preached patience when it comes to his star slugger’s struggles.

Despite the slow start from Soto, the Mets (34-22) sit in second place in the National League East.