Juan Soto's Mets contract given 'A' grade despite struggles

However, this didn't keep Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly from considering Soto's signing worthy of an 'A' grade. And he explained why in a May 26 article.

"Miss us with the hot takes.

"If you sign someone to a 15-year deal, your opinion of said contract shouldn't be altered by a couple months. No, it's not ideal that Juan Soto is currently hitting .236 and has grounded into 10 double plays. But if this is as bad as it gets, that's pretty telling, because Soto still has a .370 on-base percentage," Kelly said.

"Bryce Harper had a similar start to his first season of a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019. That deal has turned out to be a team-friendly contract, despite some sticker shock at the time. While the vultures are circling early on Soto, expect something similar to happen with him."

Kelly then added, "Not only would we bet that Soto will get back on track and perform up to the deal he signed, but that he'll hit at such a high level that he opts out after five years of his contract in search of another record-setting payday.

"Soto is one of the most gifted hitters that we've ever seen, and at age 26, he didn't just lose it all because he signed a megadeal," Kelly concluded.

Kelly has a great point, one that Soto would surely appreciate. Although that doesn't mean Mets fans would necessarily agree.