Mets reliever recalls Juan Soto scouting report fail

Soto has only struck out six times against lefties so far this season. And one of these may be owed to a scouting report that Mets southpaw reliever A.J. Minter offered Soto before one of his at-bats, which Minter conveyed in a May 12 article from Sports Illustrated's Stephanie Apstein.

In the article (which is focused on Soto's affinity for bullpens and relief pitchers), Apstein wrote, "When the Mets faced the Philadelphia Phillies last month, New York made a pitching change in the top of the seventh, and Soto ambled over to the bullpen. He figured he’d face lefty Matt Strahm in the bottom of the inning, and he wanted to know how lefty A.J. Minter thought Strahm might pitch him."

“You’re a guy who’s not gonna chase,” Minter is quoted as saying to Soto. “You know the strike zone. I think he’s gonna come right at you.”

Apstein then wrote, "Instead, Strahm dotted the corners and struck Soto out looking."

While Minter didn't get this scouting report right for his teammate, his sentiment would typically hold true during most of Soto's at-bats.

Regardless, it's cool to see how Soto seeks the input of his teammates in order to improve at the plate.