Quite a few analysts have cited leadership as a problem for the Mets. Yet, for all the numerous challenges that occurred in their disappointing campaign, David Stearns insists that a lack of leadership wasn’t to blame. “I think we have leaders in our clubhouse,” the Mets president of baseball operations said the other day at Citi Field. Speaking of the Mets’ leaders, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, and Starling Marte have shouldered leadership duties. Despite having three unanimous captains, the club fell one win short of the playoffs after being 21 games above .500 in June. And now, after the Mets missed the October baseball, one of these three leaders criticized Juan Soto for being estranged from the team.

Earlier this year, Juan Soto admitted, “[Starling Marte is] literally the leader of this team; I feel like he’s actually the captain of this team.” While that was Soto’s own opinion, he still received relentless backlash for naming Marte as a true captain over Lindor.

Now, months after that, Starling Marte has called out Soto for the lack of team chemistry. “He sometimes feels like he has to be separate from us. But no, I say, he has to be closer.” Marte said, per Deesha Thosar from FOX Sports.

Further, he added, “Some players are different. Nothing we can do with that. But something I can do is talk to him and tell him to come close to us. Jog with us. Bring more energy or emotion. I tell him, ‘I want to see you smiling more. It’s something that, maybe, you feel pressure about. But it’s something you can take away by talking to us and laughing with us. I want to see that. But no rush, no rush. When you feel like you can do it, you do it.’”

Marte is always encouraging young players to go up to Soto and get his insights. According to Marte, the young players may have been intimidated by Juan Soto. He’s doing all he can to bring the Dominican outfielder closer to the team. They have a tradition too. The veteran pulls Soto in front of the camera in the dugout every time after he hits a home run. It’s apparently a team tradition that dates back to last season’s OMG Mets.

During road trips, Soto, Marte, and Mauricio spend time playing dominoes and video games in hotel rooms to bond more with each other. Marte also shared that to make Soto more comfortable with the team, he punched him in the arm jokingly.

It isn’t one-sided. Juan Soto has also time and again appreciated Marte for all he does for him. “He helped me big time in the transition to the Mets,” he said. It’s been a difficult transition for Soto. Hopefully, next season will be different for the 26-year-old.

Juan Soto otherwise had a productive season with the Mets

After signing a historic 15-year, $765 million contract this past winter, Juan Soto initially got off to a slow start. But over time, he turned things around. In fact, Soto has put together an MVP-caliber season. He had remarkably hit a career-high 43 home runs while leading the league in walks (127) for the fourth time in his career.

Even his on-base percentage (.396) was the best in the National League. And that one metric that stands out the most is his stolen bases. Juan Soto swiped a career-high 38 bags and got caught only four times. One major chunk of credit goes to Mets’ first base coach Antoan Richardson.

He’s one of the best in the league at helping his guys get jumps by reading opposing pitchers. Looks like Soto took full advantage of that aid. He was tied for the NL lead in steals with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ legend, Oneil Cruz.

It was one of his most productive offensive seasons in MLB history. But even until now, all that’s been talked about is how the Mets didn’t make the most of Soto’s presence and even wasted his prime season. Yet, for the next season, some changes in the coaching staff are expected. Hopefully, that will change the required dynamics.