The season-long Statcast hitting percentiles for Juan Soto have patently shown an atypical stretch of bad luck at the plate, and the Mets’ new superstar made this point even more clear to his doubters on Sunday afternoon by achieving a feat he’d never reached before.
While the Mets relied on home runs — six in total and two from Pete Alonso, who made some more franchise history — to complete a convincing sweep of the lowly Rockies at Coors Field, there wasn’t anyone in the lineup who came close to matching Soto’s day in the batter’s box. The lefty slugger reached base a career-high six times, logging three singles and three walks to raise his on-base percentage to .384. He also scored three runs.
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Soto drove an 0-1 fastball to left in the first inning, a 3-2 fastball to right in the third, and a 1-2 fastball to center in the fourth. Those knocks bumped his season average to .244. He worked the count full during the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings, and wound up strolling to first base on balls each time.
The Mets aren’t paying Soto record-breaking money to deliver record-breaking power. He’s a generational talent because of his on-base skills and keen eye — home runs should be viewed as a welcome bonus.
After the win, Soto was asked if he’s felt differently at the plate in recent games. He said no. He’s stayed true to the approach that’s long made him successful.
“It’s always a good feeling to get on base, try to help the team in any way,” Soto said. “Even if I take a walk or hit the ball hard, I just try to help the team. … It’s just the same thing [at the plate]. I’m just finding more gaps, more holes. Finally landing some pitches and making some good swings and decisions. Just finding some holes.”
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Soto has resembled his old, dominant self over the last week-plus, and looked far more comfortable playing in a Mets uniform. Since the start of June, he’s slashing .346/.564/.615 with two homers, a double, and 12 walks across 39 plate appearances. In the last 15 games, his on-base mark is .435 — much closer to his career average of .418.
If the skeptics still aren’t convinced of a Soto breakout, they should trust the Statcast metrics. His expected batting average (xBA) is currently .298, which ranks in the 91st percentile among MLB hitters. His walk (18.1) and chase (14.8) rates are elite, in the 100th percentile. His hard-hit percentage (54.0) ranks third-best in his career, and he’s well on pace to become the second Met ever to register 100-plus walks in a single season.
“That’s who he is, another great hitter we’ve got in our lineup,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Soto. “Three singles and three walks, not easy to do at the big league level. Good to see him do that, and again, finally getting some results. But I feel like the at-bat quality has been there throughout.”
