On a night where Mets fans were waiting for the moment to celebrate Juan Soto’s arrival, they were instead exposed to the ultimate outlier.
Stepping to the plate as the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, it looked like the script was written: the $765 million superstar proving his worth in his hyped debut with a trademark at-bat against one of the best lefty relievers in the league in Josh Hader. Instead, Soto went ahead 3-0 before Hader battled back and forced Soto into a feeble hack on a check swing attempt with a nasty slider well out of the zone, striking out Soto to send New York to an Opening Day defeat.
Mets fans were eager to see Soto immediately show why he was worth every penny of that record-breaking contract (in reality, he has already proven it thanks to the team’s season ticket sales in 2025). While it didn’t come in that potential storybook moment, it will eventually, because Soto has proven across his career that, more times than not, he comes through in situations just like the one on Thursday evening.
No, this had nothing to do with a player pressing and looking to prove himself to a new fanbase. It was not about a reluctance to take a free pass and hand the baton to Pete Alonso. It was simply a great pitcher getting the best of an elite hitter, which is going to happen a time or two over the course of a 162-game season. But more times than not, Mets fans will see Soto make an impact in those spots, as he has countless times before.
Just one year ago, Soto put the finishing touches on a Yankees season-opening sweep of Houston with a line drive opposite-field single to break a 3-3 tie with two outs in the ninth inning. The pitcher? Hader. The count? Full. The building? Minute Maid Park. That at-bat is more telling of what’s to come for Soto in Queens than Thursday’s strikeout.
Soto led the league last season in plate appearances that led to a full count, and he posted a robust 199 wRC+ in those scenarios. His ability to work counts and wear pitchers down is his identity, which played a major part in earning his record contract. That contract isn’t changing Soto’s approach at the plate. His pending free agency last season certainly didn’t.
The outcome of Thursday’s game doesn’t change the fact that Soto is the man you want to see in the box in those situations. His mere presence at the plate in that spot showed exactly why signing him was the right move. Soto is the perfect hitter to have at the dish in such a scenario. He won’t come through every time, but he will more times than not, making Thursday’s outcome nothing more than a frustrating outlier when his typical result would have made for a storybook finish.