It was a career high of “42 for the number 22,” said the broadcaster, when Juan Soto hit the 408 ft homer! A swing that perfectly captured his season: strong, accurate, and defiant against criticism. That homer wasn’t just another statistic on the stat sheet; it was a reminder that $765M slugger has kept delivering answers in the only way he knows, at the plate. The critics might be surprised, but his teammates are not.

Juan Soto’s home run in the fourth inning sparked a six-run outburst that led the Mets to a 12-6 win over Washington. The Dominican slugger got on base four times and became the first player in franchise history to hit 40 home runs and steal 30 bases as the fans chanted “MVP” from the stands. The blast kept the Mets two games ahead of Cincinnati for the last wild-card slot in the NL, with Arizona close behind.

When asked about Juan Soto’s season turnaround, veteran teammate Brandon Nimmo said he wasn’t surprised at all. The $162M outfielder, who signed an 8-year deal in 2022, highlighted Soto’s underlying analytics. “If you look at his expected stats in the beginning of the year, he is the same guy,” Nimmo said. “There are a lot of teams that have to deal with that, but I haven’t minced my words about his ballpark play in April and May, and he just fell victim to that, and we all do. He is an amazing hitter. He is very professional. He has been this whole season, even down in spring training, and so you are just seeing exactly who he is.” Nimmo’s defense relied on experience, demonstrating how professional Soto was during spring training and afterward.

Juan Soto’s numbers back that up.  Before the All-Star break, Soto played in 96 games with 340 at-bats, hitting .262 with an OBP of .396 and a slugging percentage of .509. And post the All-Star break, he’s played in 55 games and has 204 at-bats, and his average is almost exactly the same at .265, with an OBP of .392 and a slugging percentage of .559. The figure demonstrates how he has been in line and consistent throughout the season, and that’s exactly what Nimmo said.

The career milestone didn’t go unnoticed. Carlos Mendoza, who has been regularly asked a question: “What’s wrong with Soto?” However, now it’s changed, and the skipper and Soto himself are quite happy about the new record and the way #22 played.

Mendoza on Soto: “Special guy, special player” after career-high

On Friday night, Juan Soto not only achieved his career high but also broke the franchise history. When asked about his performance, Soto added, “feels great” to have reached this new goal. “A lot of hard work day in and day out since the offseason, and to get results, it’s really good for any player. It feels great that we got the win. It was good.”

Carlos Mendoza, the manager, said that the night was a test of both character and production. “When you talk about the numbers, that is something special,” Mendoza added, applauding Soto’s ability to stay consistent and his steady impact in the clubhouse. Mendoza said, “Special guy, special player,” and he said that Soto’s ability to lead and stay strong all season was a big reason why the Mets were so good.

And Soto also shared about the experience and the fans who supported him at Citifield. He mentioned, “This crowd has been unbelievable. The whole year they’ve been showing up, Nothing else we can ask for.” While Juan Soto provided the heroics on the diamond, the Mets’ depth made the difference in the blowout win.

The Mets did well as a team in their 12-6 triumph over the Nationals. Francisco Alvarez got three RBIs with important singles, Jeff McNeil got two, and Starling Marte scored twice. Francisco Lindor hit two doubles, and Jose Quintana pitched five innings, allowing the offense a chance to take off.

With a two-game lead for the last NL wild-card slot, Soto’s performance could make or break the team’s chances in the stretch run and the playoffs.