Mets' Juan Soto joins elite company with career-first feat

Making history isn't new for Soto, but joining this legendary company would certainty have come as a surprise before the season. Known better for his bat rather than his speed, Soto's previous career-high in steals was 12 for San Diego in 2023. In fact, this is just Soto's third time in the double digits for stolen bases.

But in his first year with the Mets, the superstar made baserunning a priority and turned in one of his most well-rounded seasons yet. With a .261 batting average and a .921 OPS, Soto has quietly become a real candidate for National League MVP. His 38 home runs trail just Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber (50) and the reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani (48) for most in the NL.

As a part of his unanimous NL MVP campaign, Ohtani became just the sixth player in MLB history to have 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases. With 17 games remaining in the Mets' season, Soto needs just two home runs and 10 steals to reach the historic mark and make a strong statement as the NL's best player.

Amid his struggles early in the season, Soto's effort was called into question. After he didn't hustle out of the batter's box in a game in late-May, manager Carlos Mendoza told the media he would have to "discuss" the issue with the star player.

Soto, who openly disagreed with the narrative, made no mistake about dispelling it on the field. In what can be seen as a down-year, the league's highest paid player has been the most valuable piece to the Mets' offensive success.

Always underrated when talking about Soto is his incredible baseball IQ and ability to learn and develop new skills. In just one season working with New York's base coach Antoan Richardson, Soto has asserted himself as a more complete ball player, making up what he lacks in speed with timing and knowledge of a pitcher's mannerisms.

After Tuesday's game, Soto was quick to credit Richardson for his success on the basepaths.

"Antoan did an unbelievable job," he said. "He's been helping me since day one. I give him all the credit, he's the one who put me in this situation."

With 30 stolen bases this year, Soto ranks 6th in the National League and 11th in all of Major League Baseball. While it may have gone unnoticed to this point, his impressive milestone will certainty draw the league's attention to Soto's latest skill.