Mets legend offers Juan Soto advice amid early-season struggles

Shortstop Francisco Lindor and retired outfielder Darryl Strawberry know what it's like to be booed by frustrated New York Mets fans during home games. 

While speaking with David Lennon of Newsday, Strawberry offered some advice for Juan Soto as he continues to struggle offensively through the first month of his Mets tenure. 

"You just can’t let the noise get to you," Strawberry explained. "You just have to step up and say, 'OK, I’m that dude.' You show them, 'I’m that guy.' That’s what Soto has to do." 

Soto was routinely "that guy" for the New York Yankees last year, finishing the regular season with a career-best 41 home runs en route to an American League pennant. The slugger then received a 15-year, $765M contract that could exceed $800M from the Mets this past offseason, but has disappointed thus far.

Across his first 19 games, Soto has slashed .221/.361/.412 with three home runs and just seven RBI. Additionally, the 26-year-old did himself few favors when he mentioned things with the Mets are "definitely different" because he previously "had the best hitter in baseball" hitting behind him while with the Yankees. Fair or not, some have suggested Soto was saying he'd rather share a lineup with Yankees captain Aaron Judge than with Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. 

Lindor insisted on Thursday that nobody in the clubhouse "took what [Soto] said in any negative way." However, such comments won't erase the perception that Soto can't handle the pressure that comes with being the highest-paid star on a club many fans expect to compete for a World Series title. 

"Last year he was on a one-year deal,” Strawberry added about Soto. "This year it’s a 15-year deal, so everybody’s going to want it all immediately, right? But he’s a very talented guy. He’ll figure it out. He’s human just like anybody else. He just seems a little bit off and there’s more attention focused on him because of the contract that he has."

Following Thursday's win, which improved the Mets to 12-7, Soto told Lennon that he knows "things are going to change" for the better sooner rather than later. If Soto is right, he and the Mets could be in for a special season.