As the Mets trailed by five runs on Tuesday night, on the brink of being handed a fourth loss by the Phillies, Juan Soto made a statement. He swiped third base for his 30th stolen base. Add his 38 home runs to that, and Soto was two stops from becoming the first franchise player in the 40/30 club. Gone are the days of May when the 26-year-old found himself down the right fielders’ list and out of the All-Star. Yet, the blame for a season that screams Mets’ downfall is laid at his door.

David Stearns had banked $765 million on Soto, hoping he’d help cover the one step to the World Series title that the Mets had missed out on last season. Now, weeks away from the playoffs, the team is projected to win fewer games than its 89-win 2024 campaign. Sure, Soto’s slow start in May hasn’t helped his case much. But it might not be the right fielder’s performance that has thrown the Mets off their game. It’s the stardom.

The Athletics’ Ken Rosenthal believes that a big name doesn’t always help with a team’s cohesiveness. “Big stars create a different and occasionally uncomfortable dynamic,” he noted. “They work hard and surely want to win… But something appears off with this team.” 

Soto is doing his part on the field now, hitting a .264 average, 39 home runs, and 95 RBIs through 145 games. Back in May, he struggled with a .223 average and .742 OPS, while Stearns believed Soto was ‘probably trying to do too much.’ A few spectators sense trouble in that start. Last month, WFAN Sports Radio host Keith McPherson wondered if a drop in Soto’s performance from being 3rd in the MVP race last season to a sluggish start had gotten to the players. “You make $900,000 a series, and you are asleep in the right field,” he pointed out.

But contrary to what speculations might be, Soto’s attempt at building a chemistry has been visible for long. Every half inning on defense, every game, the Mets’ outfielders gather near the dugout, tap their gloves, and share an embrace. Center fielder Tyrone Taylor calls it a “Juan thing,” while fielder Brandon Nimmo applauded for the team chemistry it builds. One couldn’t pinpoint the reason the Mets went on a seven-game skid, but when defeats pile up, the rotation suffers in spirit.

“The last thing you want to see is quick outs. But that’s what happens when there’s anxiety,” Carlos Mendonza explained as the Mets’ fell 31-47 since June. But no one could confirm a healthy dynamic between the franchise stars then Pete Alonso himself.

Pete Alonso reveals another side of Juan Soto

Pete Alonso recently unveiled an unexpected side to Juan Soto. It’s something his teammates see regularly, but the fans and the media are privy to. “He’s just the same guy every day. He has been, for me. I just think he’s really quiet and reserved. He’s focused, and he just lives, breathes, and eats baseball,” he said per Sports Illustrated. “That’s really it. For me, I just see that he loves ball. The amount of locked-in focus he has been the same every single day.”

Although Juan Soto is having a down year compared to the previous two seasons, he has a career-high 31 stolen bases in the 2025 season. Initially, there were also rumors making rounds that Soto wasn’t getting along with his new teammates, which have since been unconfirmed.

The rumors said he’s having issues with Francisco Lindor, and they intensified when Soto claimed that he sees his teammate Starling Marte more as a leader. After all, it’s long been discussed how Francisco Lindor is the unofficial leader of the club. Well, that debate is for another day. For now, the Mets will certainly require all of their veteran stars to hold onto the final wild card spot and make the postseason.