No matter how bad this season feels, an extreme bright point will always be that Juan Soto is right at the beginning of his 15-year deal. The future hall of famer is turning in another MVP-level season.

The Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday evening, snapping a seven-game losing skid. Christian Scott was good enough to give the Mets a chance, the bullpen was fantastic, and the offense came through with some huge hits to come away with the win. A.J. Ewing, Carson Benge, Francisco Lindor, and of course, Soto all provided timely hits to get back in the win column.

Saturday evening was a microcosm of Soto’s season, and frankly, his entire career. Dominance over the strike zone, an ability to drive the ball no matter what the count, and an ability to kick start an offense in desperate need of runs. Soto went 2-for-3 with a walk, a triple, scored two runs, and drove in a run in the win. The command of the strike zone was on full display in his plate appearance in the seventh inning, working an eight pitch at-bat, taking some really tough pitches to force a full count, and hitting a 101.5 mph triple to extend the Mets lead.

“He’s the best player in baseball. It’s special what he does in the batter’s box,” newly appointed manager Andy Green told reporters after the game.

2026 has been another stellar year for Soto. He finds himself at or near the top of practically every leaderboard. After Saturday, Soto is now second in OPS, second in wRC+, second in xwOBA, and  second in wOBA.

When you talk about drivers of success for Soto, there’s really not a ton he does poorly. He hits the ball very hard to all parts of the field, doesn’t strike out a lot, walks a ton, and is able to impact the game with tons of extra base hits. Soto has never been a great fielder, however in 2026, he is showing that left field might be a more comfortable spot for him. For the first time since 2021, Soto is currently in the top half of defenders in outs above average. It is slightly misleading due to the amount of games he has spent as designated-hitter and the impact of playing next to a fielder like Benge, but this is certainly an improvement over years past.

In late May, against the Miami Marlins, it was reported that Soto was experimenting with a new bat. Soto felt like he was not quick enough to the ball, citing his two strike approach of as an area he wanted to be quicker. This new bat had a prominently thicker knob, allowing for the weight to be more evenly distributed. And sure enough, it has certainly allowed for Soto to improve with two strikes. This season, in two strike counts, Soto currently has a career high 114 wRC+, good for fourth in the league (minimum 90 plate appearances). He is not only striking out less than he ever has, he is also having the most productive season of his career with two strikes.

Something that is interesting about Soto’s approach this year is his bat speed drop. Bat speed starting being measured in 2023, and this season is the first time Soto’s bat speed will rank outside the top 30% of baseball. Some of this likely has to do with the bumps and bruises he has picked up this year. However, it hasn’t affected his offensive game in the slightest. He still displays elite barrel rates, hard hit rates, and exit velocity. He is seemingly sacrificing a little bat speed in favor of less strikeouts and more hits, without losing any of his elite slugging capabilities.

2026 has been, for the most part, a miserable year for the Mets. However, in a season with so many moving parts, injuries, and underperforming players, Juan Soto is still Juan Soto. You know exactly what you are going to get each year from him. He is going to show up and produce at levels that many players only dream of.

This type of player is what keeps the hopes of a quick turnaround, not only this year but going forward, possible. Having a player that can be the best player in baseball over long stretches of time keeps the long term outlook of the team positive, despite everything else around him being so bleak.