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MLB Insider Shares Juan Soto, Scott Boras's Explanation for Mets Star's Slow Start

Blake Silverman

New York Mets right fielder Soto reacts after being called out on strikes by home plate umpire Blakney against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field.
New York Mets right fielder Soto reacts after being called out on strikes by home plate umpire Blakney against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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The beginning to Juan Soto's tenure with the New York Mets has been a bumpy road. Currently, he's in the midst of a 3-for-25 skid at the plate, coming off an 0-for-5 night against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field Friday.

MLB insider Jon Heyman of MLB Network and the New York Post had an exclusive interview with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, to discuss the reasons behind the slow start after signing a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets.

"They both say that there's an adjustment period," Heyman said via New York Post Sports. "They don't think that it's about the contract, the record $765 million deal, they believe it's an adjustment that would come with any situation whether he's making $765 million or $765,000."

Here's Heyman's full response about his conversation with Soto and Boras:

The good news is, Soto has plenty of time to adjust to his new situation, just 50 games into the first season of the long 15-year deal. But at that amount of money, there's certainly pressure to perform immediately. While Soto just moved across New York from the Bronx to Queens, he's getting used to a new manager, a new team and new surroundings. In reality, the reason for Soto's slow start is likely a mixture of all the factors at play—a new situation, backlash from leaving the Yankees for the Mets and of course, the pressure of all that money.

Thus far in 2025, Soto has posted a .236/.369/.418 slash line with eight home runs, 21 RBIs and 33 runs scored.

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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