Juan Soto, LF
Player Data: Age: 27 (10/25/1998) B/T: L/L
Primary Stats: 111 G, 482 PA, .275/.393/.515/.908, 110 H, 11 2B, 27 HR, 68 RBI, 63 R, 9 SB, 78 BB, 65 SO
Advanced Stats: 154 OPS+, 147 wRC+, 13.5% K%, 16.2% BB%, .268 BABIP, .411 xwOBA, 3.1 fWAR, 3.0 bWAR
2026 Salary: $61.975M
Grade: A-
2026 Review
Like many Mets players, 2026 was a bit of a wash for Juan Soto. For the first time in his career, Soto dealt with a pair of calf injuries that de-railed his season, causing him to miss 51 games. Now let me be clear, a “wash” of a season for a player like Soto’s caliber is still an elite year. However, due to injuries and a couple tough months, Soto gets an A- instead of the A or A+ he is accustomed to.
The first half of the year, Soto looked like every bit of his usual self, putting together one of his best stretches as a Met. Soto’s 162 wRC+ ranked fourth among all qualified hitters in the first half. He ranked No. 3 in OBP, No. 5 in slugging, and No. 3 in xwOBA. However, after his second calf injury, he was never able to find that same rhythm at the plate that he had in the first half. After returning from the injured list in August, Soto ended the final 27 games hitting just .252 with a .799 OPS and six home runs.
Looking deeper, what was really going on in that final stretch? A big part of the reason was a very uncharacteristic plate approach. In the month of September, Soto’s 24.6% chase rate was the second highest for a single month in his career, trailing only the first month after being called up to the major leagues in 2018. Just how uncharacteristic was it? Well, he had not recorded a month with a chase rate over 22% since August of 2019. The interesting thing is, it did not lead to more swings and misses or more strikeouts. However, it led to a lot more soft contact than Soto is used to.
Now, let’s talk about the good! Soto’s “bad” year is still an absolutely incredible season. Despite not playing a full season, Soto’s 27 home runs ranked No. 1 on a Mets team that desperately needs power. However, the most important aspect of the season for Soto was the defensive improvement from 2025. Soto will never be an elite defender like his teammates Carson Benge or A.J. Ewing, and that is totally okay! He is on the Mets to be an elite offensive threat for years to come. However, in the offseason, Soto made it a point to improve his defense, and while his innings were limited, it looks like he did improve.
In 2025, Soto looked like he was potentially the worst defender in the league in right field, posting -12 OAA and a -13 FRV. However, in 2026, he was able to improve those metrics to -3 and -5, respectively. His -3 OOA ranked in the 20th percentile of baseball, up from the first percentile last year. That is a jump that deserves credit. A huge part of that improvement was his ability to go backwards on balls. For the first time since 2021, Soto’s OAA on balls behind him was greater than zero (1). Soto still struggles coming in on balls, largely due to his reactions and lack of burst. However, he took good routes this year and became below average defensively instead of horrible.
2027 Outlook
Soto is going to be a force again in the middle of the Mets’ lineup, and fans should be thankful that is the case. Barring any more injuries, he will be the Mets’ best hitter next year and for years to come. He is going nowhere, and that is great news.
Something that is on the agenda for the offseason is providing Soto more support, particularly in the power department. With Bo Bichette’s impending decision on his player option, there is the chance that the Mets lose an impact bat this offseason. Benge and Ewing showed that they were more than capable additions to the lineup, and Francisco Lindor is another star in the heart of their order. However, the Mets relied way too much on players taking steps forward. Looking at the teams throughout the 2026 MLB playoffs, they more often than have very deep lineups that never give pitchers a break. The Mets had the opposite of that, often giving free outs to pitchers at the bottom of the order.
Soto is a New York Met. It’s something that is not appreciated enough, and something every Mets fan should be thankful for. Soto is an elite offensive talent that every team would dream about having in their lineup. 2027 will be no different. Soto will be incredible, and hopefully a large reason for their success.
