A $375 million-plus CBT payroll this season, only to sit at 40-57 after the first half of the season. A roster overhaul, including blockbuster trades and high-profile deals, hasn’t amounted to much for the New York Mets so far. Juan Soto is the Mets’ only All-Star on a payroll worth approximately $380 million this year, which is a testament to that. The Dominican knows how dire the situation is for his team, but he is refusing to give up, and he has the same expectations of his teammates.

“It’s really tough going through times like this, but we have to find a way to stay positive, looking for ways to move forward and improve the team,” Soto said, per Hector Gomez on X.

The left fielder has been the only player delivering consistent results for the Mets on a team featuring Bo Bichette, Francisco Lindor, Freddy Peralta, and Devin Williams. After last year’s snub, the two-year Mets veteran earned a ticket to Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. However, he has opted to skip this year’s All-Star Game, choosing instead to rest and recover. The Mets will return to the same venue after the All-Star break.

It is going to be a tough challenge for the Mets, as their division rivals, the Phillies, lead the season series 4-2. The two teams met in two three-game series last month, during which the Mets suffered a 15-3 blowout loss on June 20.

Notably, in the two games the Mets won against the Phillies, Juan Soto contributed significantly. Going 2-for-4, Soto launched two homers during the Mets’ 6-4 win over the Phillies.

Overall, he is slashing .290/.405/.562 with a .967 OPS in 78 games this season. He has missed playing time due to a flurry of injuries, including a calf strain, back tightness, and a foot contusion. The right calf strain kept him away for two weeks in April, during the same time the Mets fell into their historic 12-game skid.

On his return from the IL, Soto became a bright spot in the lackluster Mets’ lineup. Soto has made his place among the top five hitting leaders of the league this season in terms of OPS (fourth), OBP (third), and slugging percentage (fifth).

But he alone cannot carry the team, and the Mets remain 12 games out of a Wild Card spot and rank last in the NL East. If they fail to reach the postseason once again, it will be the second consecutive season that Soto will not play October baseball after signing a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets. But he is not losing hope and believes the All-Star break would give his team a chance to refresh before the second half of the season.

“I feel like everybody needs a couple days off after a rough stretch,” remarked Soto, per the Daily News. “To get the day off and kind of like start over, I think it’s gonna be good for the guys.”

Though he won’t be playing, Soto has now earned an All-Star nod with all four teams he has played for. He was selected for the fifth time this season.