MMO Players of the Month: Soto, Scott Provide Mets Hope

April showers really do bring May flowers. After a horrendous, forgettable and terrible April that saw the Mets go 7-19 (.269 win percentage), the Mets began to right the ship, finishing May with a 16-12 (.571 win percentage) record. After entering the month near the bottom or last in every offensive category, the Mets landed around league average in those same categories for May. While it may not seem like much, it’s a leap forward in what might be a lost year. The Mets enter June sitting at a 26-33 record, fourth in the NL East, and 5.5 games behind for the third Wild Card Spot. It’s not over till it’s over, and these players have played a key role in giving the Mets a fighting chance.

Offensive Player of the Month: Juan Soto, OF

Simply put, Juan Soto carried the Mets in May. He hit .281/.369/.615 (.984 OPS) in May, with 27 hits, 10 home runs, 21 RBIs, 20 runs scored, 14 walks, 18 strikeouts and five stolen bases in 27 games. He missed two games with flu-like symptoms, but didn’t miss a beat upon his return from that and his stint on the injured list with a calf strain on April 22.

His 10 HRs tied for second-most in the majors in May, while he landed third-best in slugging behind the likes of Byron Buxton and JJ Bleday. Soto’s Baseball Savant page continues to be a sea of red for 2026, landing in the 98th percentile in batting run value (19), 99th percentile in expected slugging percentage (.626), 98th percentile in xwOBA (.417) and 96th percentile in barrel percentage (18.4%).

For comparison, Yordan Alvarez has the best batting run value in baseball at 25, while Aaron Judge also ranks in the 99th percentile in expected slugging. James Wood is the best in baseball in xwOBA, landing in the 100th percentile, while Munetaka Murakami is in the 98th percentile in barrel percentage.

With Francisco Lindor injured and a beleaguered Mets offense, Soto continues to keep the Mets competitive in games.

Honorable Mention: Carson Benge, OF

After a rough start to his big league career, Carson Benge came into his own in May. He hit .306/.375/.426 (.801 OPS) in May, leading the team in batting average, on-base percentage, hits (33) and doubles (7). He rocketed two home runs, drove in 15, walked nine times and struck out 23 times while stealing three bases in 28 games. While he’s ranking at around league average or above average in most offensive categories, he’s in the 94th percentile in launch angle sweet spot percentage (41.4%). At the same time, his defense has been superb, landing him in the 98th percentile in arm strength (fourth-best in baseball).

Amongst qualified rookies in May, Benge ranked first in hits, third in runs scored, tied for the fourth-best RBIs and batting average along with Konnor Griffin, and had the ninth-best OPS. If he continues to develop at this rate, not only can Benge make a run for NL Rookie of the Year, but more importantly, help lead the Mets back to the playoffs.

Pitcher of the Month: Christian Scott, RHP

The Mets lost Clay Holmes on May 15, have gone to piggyback roles from guys like David Peterson and Sean Manaea, and have had rough outings from Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta. The light at the end of the tunnel for the team in May has been Christian Scott, who finally earned his first MLB win on the second to last day of the month in his 16th career start.

After pitching in just one and a third innings in his season debut in April, Scott finished May with a 2.79 ERA in six games, striking out 37 and walking 11 in 29 innings of work. He allowed ten runs (nine earned) on 26 hits, surrendering just one home run, while holding hitters to a .236 batting average. While length is still a concern for him, he has only reached at least five innings three times (his longest outing was 5.2 innings), but he gave the Mets every chance to compete in games.

For 2026, Scott ranks in the 90th percentile in barrel percentage (3.9%), 86th percentile in average exit velocity (86.8 mph) and 85th percentile in strikeout percentage (28.1%). For reference, Shohei Ohtani ranks in the 93rd percentile in barrel percentage, Jacob Misiorowski ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity, and Chase Burns ranks in the 87th percentile in strikeout percentage, with Ohtani in the 86th percentile.

All in all, Scott’s keeping up with some of MLB’s best pitching in 2026, helping keep the Mets afloat.

Honorable Mention: The Bullpen

Where would the Mets be without the likes of Luke Weaver, Austin Warren, and Brooks Raley? The three combined for 39.1 innings of work in May, posting a combined 0.66 ERA in 34 combined appearances. The three totaled 11 holds, 19 walks and 45 strikeouts. Weaver, in particular, did not allow a run in May, while Raley totaled six holds. Warren, meanwhile, struck out 17 batters, most by any traditional Mets reliever for the month.

The rest of the bullpen was solid as well, with Devin Williams racking up six saves, tied for fourth-most in MLB for May. With their starters struggling to go deep into games, the bullpen combined for a 9-4 record, pitching 127.2 innings (second-most in MLB). The Mets’ bullpen led the majors in strikeouts (133), and had the fourth-best ERA (2.40) behind the Padres (1.91), Diamondbacks (2.18) and Dodgers (2.35).