Mets’ Juan Soto named NL MVP Finalist

Soto signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets last offseason and strung together a career year during his first season in Flushing.

The slugger got off to a slow start with his new team, batting just .232 during April, followed by a dismal .219 batting average in May. However, the All-Star slugger finally broke out offensively in June after slashing .322/.474/.722 with 11 home runs and 20 RBI, subsequently winning the National League Player of the Month award. It was the first time he earned Player of the Month honors in his career, and his season would only continue to get better from there.

While the 27-year-old was not named an All-Star this season, Soto's first season with the Amazins' was exceptional. He finished the year batting .263/.396/.525 with a career-high 43 home runs, 105 RBI and an OPS of .921 in 160 games; Soto also drew 127 walks this season, which led Major League Baseball.

Soto's first season with the Mets also saw him unlock a new part of his game. He became just the fifth Met in franchise history to join the 30-30 club after stealing his 30th base of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 9, joining David Wright, Jose Reyes, Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry. He finished the season with 38 stolen bases, which was tied with Oneil Cruz for the most in the National League; Soto's 43 home runs and 38 stolen bases also resulted in him becoming the first Met ever to string together a 40-30 season.

Though his first season with the Mets was an exceptional one, Soto is expected to fall short in the MVP award to the aforementioned Ohtani after another great season with the bat and on the mound. The Mets' late-season collapse may have also hurt his chances, especially with Ohtani and Schwarber both being on playoff teams.

While the Mets fell well short of their expectations this season, Soto looks to be in the prime of his career. The hope is that his continued excellence can help lead the Mets back to the postseason in 2026.