The way everything unfolded felt like something only the wizardry of Juan Soto could produce.
In the hours before the Mets opened a series Monday in Minnesota, Soto told The Post’s Mike Puma about how pitchers have attacked him differently with Pete Alonso waiting on-deck as opposed to Aaron Judge last year. It came across as something that teetered on the rationalizing/complaining line, especially when he used the phrase “best hitter in baseball behind me” to reference Judge when Alonso — hitting .356 with a .729 slugging percentage and quickly approaching the Mets’ all-time home run record — has orchestrated a strong opening act to 2025, too.
But then Soto went out and homered during the Mets’ win, suggesting that just when the doubts and questions start stacking up against a slower-than-expected start, their $765 million man and generational hitter will find a way to produce.
That, really, captured the Mets’ first 16 games perfectly. Even with Soto homering only once in his first 15 games and relying on walks to reach base as often as he does, even with Brett Baty hitting just .139 and seemingly on the verge of jeopardizing his roster spot in the majors, even with Mark Vientos hitting .138 with zero — zero! — homers after his postseason heroics, the Mets still led the National League East.
