This time last year, when Juan Soto stepped into the batter’s box for the Yankees, the arena was electrified. Pitchers hesitated, and fans held their breath. He was, indisputably, one of baseball’s most exciting forces, but fast forward to this season, and a different narrative seems to be taking shape. With Soto’s current form with the Mets, whispers are growing louder. Is he truly performing at the level we expect, or is he merely a shadow of his prime? The stats are not on his side, which further amplifies the situation. 8 HRs and .243 BA are not the numbers we expect from a player who signed a $765 million contract.

His recent at-bats don’t resemble like they are from one of the best hitters of this generation. On Wednesday, he looked uncomfortable against the Boston Red Sox. Soto struck out in his first two at-bats without swinging even once, and then struck out swinging in his third at-bat. In his defense, it was the first time he was facing Garrett Crochet. But baseball fans have seen Soto deliver in big moments even while facing the best. The past week—think about the Subway Series and then Wednesday against Crochet—he seems to be struggling, though it is a relatively small sample size to come up with concrete conclusions.

While he is still adjusting to the new team, reports suggest he wants to be a Yankee. If that’s the case, how did he end up with the Mets? Well, as per Michael Kay earlier this week, Soto preferred the Yankees, but his move to the Mets was more of a family decision. The New York Mets made his family feel valued and a part of something bigger. His deal with them includes luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games (all free) and also personal secruity for his family—all paid for by the team.

So talking about the situation on The Michael Kay Show, the play-by-play announcer stated: “He’s gotta get over it. He is not going back to the Yankees. He’s just not. He is locked in for 15 years with the Mets. This is his home. He’s gotta make the most of it and again, he is not in hell. He is in a great team with great players that have a chance to win a World Series with ownership, with a committment and a love for him.

“You gott get over Juan. You didn’t land in Oshkosh Wisconsin. You landed in New York City… So even if you have some wanderlust tha maybe I shouldn’t have left the Yankess, you gotta get over it. Because it can’t be undone. You can’t put the milk back in the udder. You are a New York Met for a long, long time. … Even if he is feeling the things that a lot of people think he is feeling, that he really wanted to be a Yankee and that he might still want to, he’ll get over it. He’ll never look back. That’s the way it works.”

So yes, it’s time. Time for Juan Soto to look beyond the Yankees. That chapter, however thrilling it might be, is closed now. He’s no longer a hitter behind Aaron Judge in the Bronx, but a cornerstone in the Mets. The pinstripes are a thing of the past now. No one can chase ghosts and lead a team at the same time. So now, it is imperative he start focusing on his new team.

Soto was dropped from second to third in the Mets’ batting order on Wednesday; A move that manager Carlos Mendoza endorsed. But things didn’t sit well with the slugger. Soto’s first at-bat in the new spot quickly drew attention because of how tensed he looked facing Crochet.

The Mets are yet to see a Juan Soto show!

Just a week ago, the Mets looked like a team finally finding its rhythm. After a sluggish start to the season, they had rattled off a string of impressive wins, climbing back to .500 and injecting some much-needed belief into a clubhouse that had weathered early doubts. The pitching had stabilized, the lineup was clicking, and manager Carlos Mendoza appeared to have settled into a groove. So, it was going fine.

Then came the Subway Series.

The high-profile showdown with the Yankees was supposed to be a Juan Soto show. Instead, it marked the beginning of a downturn that has quickly escalated into something more concerning. The Mets dropped both games to their crosstown rivals.

Now, following another defeat against the Red Sox on Wednesday, the Mets have dropped three straight and find themselves teetering once again.

The team has now dropped to the second place in the NL East with a 30-20 record. And hereon, it will be a test of resolve. For the Mets, the challenge now is clear: Make the woods talk and hope to get back Soto at his prime.

The fans can just hope that Juan Soto comes out of his Bronx days and becomes the poster boy in Queens. What do you think?