Juan Soto’s switch from Yankees slugger to Mets cornerstone was expected to surge the Queens 2025 season. He signed a 15-year, $765 million deal after hitting 41 home runs in 2024. Instead, it has been a slow burn. There are flashes, but the consistency is missing. Fans are getting impatient. And after the last loss to the Braves, one of them let out a loud scream.

The Braves defeated the Mets 4–3 on Thursday night at Citi Field, marking another tough loss for the Mets after their 11-6 defeat prior to that. With their playoff hopes dimming, this latest setback made it harder for them to improve their position in the tight NL wild-card race.

Meet Frank, the well-known Mets fan! And he didn’t hold back when he talked about Juan Soto’s performance in a video that soon went viral on X. He said, “Juan Soto… doesn’t give a f—. I hate this motherf——. I wish he stayed in the f—— Bronx.” Well, Soto’s inconsistencies at the plate justify that anger.

This season, Juan Soto has struggled at the plate, flashing glimpses of the superstar we know but too often falling into a rut. In his last seven games, he has had 27 at-bats, 8 hits, 4 home runs, 6 RBIs, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts. His slash line of .252/.384/.878 for this season so far shows promise, but it is still inconsistent. In the Braves game played on Wednesday, he hit a homer. But in the Thursday game, when it was required, he was unable to hit it.

Meanwhile, the Mets are slipping. They stand second in the NL East with a record of 64-57. And out of the last 10 games, they have only managed to win 1, which is not a great performance, especially when the playoffs are looming closer and every swing matters. Frank’s rant captures the fans’ frustration, but baseball experts are being more careful.

Tim Kurkjian talked about Juan Soto’s poor stretch on the Foul Territory. But he also gave NYM some much-needed hope. He said, “He hasn’t been the player he’s thought I would be. He’s way better than a .250 hitter, which is around where he’s hitting right now. I think he’s going to get hot… There are six weeks to go, and I fully expect him to carry them into the playoffs.”

The next few weeks will determine whether Juan Soto can silence his critics. However, when looking at the bigger picture, it’s not just the NYM who are struggling; the NYY are also underperforming. Both teams from New York are at a crossroads in the playoff race. Who can qualify? Well, the insiders have already started vouching for their favourites.

Two teams, one city: Who holds the edge in the 2025 playoff chase?

The race for the 2025 playoffs in New York is like a subway duel with two different train routes. The Yankees are working hard in the AL East and currently are in third place after Toronto and Boston with a record of 64–57. On the other hand, the Mets are in a tight race for the NL title. Five games behind Philadelphia, and they are also holding on to a Wild Card place.

ESPN’s MLB experts recently looked at the playoff chances for both teams. Jorge Castillo said, “I’ll go with the Mets because they can work around their rotation weakness in October with aggressive bullpen usage. Judge’s status remains a concern for the Yankees.” Well, with Judge making a comeback from a 10-day IL, he is still finding the rhythm on the diamond.

Buster Olney doesn’t agree with Castillo. He said, “The Yankees have a better shot of lasting because the challenge is simply not the same. The American League is absolutely wide open, which gives the Yankees an inherent advantage late in the year. The Mets, on the other hand, face a gauntlet of baseball’s best teams: the Brewers, Phillies, San Diego Padres, Dodgers.” Brewers are on top, and Padres and Dodgers are the two best from their division.

However, Jeff Passan found a middle ground: “If the playoffs started today, the Yankees would face a banged-up Houston Astros team… The Mets… would be lined up against Los Angeles… I believe the Mets are a slightly superior team to the Yankees .” And Jesse Rogers was more optimistic, saying, “The Mets… have a run in them.”

Can the Queens get through it with Juan Soto’s struggles at the plate against top-notch NL teams? Or Soto’s former team will make it through?