WAR 87th place shocking ranking, Soto's excuse can do a lot better than now. Look at the last day of the season

Apr 23, 2025

New York Mets Juan Soto checks whether he is fouled after hitting a home run to the right in the bottom of the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on the 22nd (Korea time). At first, he was ruled a home run, but was overturned by a foul through the challenge. AFP Yonhap News

New York Mets Juan Soto, who boasts the highest ransom ever, is rarely on track to hit.

Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million FA contract last winter and left the New York Yankees to wear a local rival New York Mets uniform. The Yankees also went to the final stage of the negotiations, but missed Soto because they offered $760 million (about 1.933 trillion won) in 16 years and were behind the Mets in detailed conditions.

There were about 20 clubs interested in Soto, and it was eight big market teams that exchanged actual conditions. In other words, there were many teams that wanted Soto.

However, it is no exaggeration to say that Soto is struggling early in the season. It's not your usual skills.

As of the 22nd (Korea time), he has played in all 23 games with a batting average of 0.244 (20 hits in 82 times at bat), three home runs, 12 RBIs, 16 runs, 17 walks, 15 strikeouts, and an on-base percentage of 0.370 and a batting average of 0.415, OPS of 0.785.

He ranks 48th in batting average and 36th in OPS among 88 players who have surpassed the regular at-bats in the NL. Soto's strength is that it has both accuracy and power. However, the home run and the batting average are not like Soto. At least 'exclusive' walk is a cinch if he is tied for fifth place in the NL. He constantly hits, but he doesn't feel explosive at all.

bWAR is outside the top 40 in the NL at 0.8, and fWAR is 87th at 0.4. It is a shocking ranking that does not fit Soto. Soto's OPS, which debuted in 2018, was the lowest at 0.853 in 2022.

New York Mets Juan Soto. AFP Yonhap News

Let's compare it to last year when we were the Yankees. He hit a batting average of 0.322, five homers, 20 RBIs, 14 points, and an OPS of 0.991 in 23 games of the season. He hit hard from the start for the FA season.

Shohei Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers just a year ago and became the first player in sports history to pay $700 million, also hit .359 with four home runs, 11 RBIs, 17 points and 1.049 OPS in the first 23 games of last season, his first year joining the Dodgers. In the case of Ohtani, 97% of the total amount was to be shared for 10 years after the end of the contract period, but Soto receives all $765 million in a set period. The total amount of Ohtani's contract is only $460 million at present value. There is a big difference from that of Soto.

For this reason, the view toward Soto, who cannot do his part in the first year of the contract, is cold.

What does Soto have in mind.

After going 0-for-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies on the 22nd, Soto said in an interview with local media NJ.com about his poor batting performance at the beginning of the season, `We are working on adapting to the rhythm and adjusting the timing. I haven't reached the level I want yet, but I feel like I'm getting a little better every day"

Juan Soto hits in the third inning against Philadelphia on the 22nd (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News

In the match against Philadelphia, Soto pulled a high sinker in the middle of the third inning with no outs and runners on the first and second bases, making a home run-like hit near the right foul pole at City Field. At first, he was judged to be a home run, but the result of the challenge turned out to be a foul. Soto was eventually grounded out to the pitcher, but Mets manager Carlos Mendoza evaluated "Soto is now showing signs that he will get better." In the previous three games, he also hit five hits in 10 at-bats.

Soto can do much better than he has done so farThe numbers at the end of the season will tell you. We have to wait and see until the end."

He says he is not worried about Soto, but as he said, he will watch the season.