Inside The Mets

Tim Kurkjian's honest Juan Soto Mets prediction speaks volumes

ESPN MLB insider Tim Kurkjian got real about Juan Soto's 2025 season with the New York Mets.
Grant Young|
Aug 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) draws a walk in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Aug 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) draws a walk in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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It would be tough for anybody to argue that New York Mets slugger Juan Soto has lived up to the expectations the baseball world had for him before the 2025 season began.

While Soto's .251 average, .878 OPS, and 29 home runs are undoubtedly above average, it isn't the type of production that a $765 million player should be bringing to the table. Not to mention that Soto having just 69 RBIs indicates that all the chatter about his hitting diminishing once runners are on base is valid.

Read more: Pete Alonso faces 'straightforward' Mets decision this offseason

That said, there's still time for Soto to turn his season around in a big way. And at least one member of the baseball community believes he's going to do exactly that.

New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) warms up before an Augut 8, 2025 game.
Aug 8, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) warms up before game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Tim Kurkjian's Strong Juan Soto Prediction

ESPN MLB insider Tim Kurkjian was a guest on an August 13 episode of Foul Territory. And at one point, he got to talking about Soto's 2025 season.

“Well, he hasn’t been the player I thought he would be [in 2025],” Kurkjian said of Soto, per an X post from Foul Territory.

“I mean, he’s been productive, he’s hit a bunch of homers, a lot of them with nobody on base. He is way better than a .250 hitter," Kurkjian added. "And I think it's gonna get hot. I just think he’s too good of a hitter to struggle like this. And when I say struggle, he should be hitting over .300. He’s that good of a hitter.

“I just think it has been an adjustment,” Kurkjian added. "You know, when he walks in, there are a bunch of other star players there. I think it takes him, and everyone else, a little bit of time to figure out where everybody’s going — though it didn’t take much time with the Yankees. He was really good right away and all season for them. Same thing hasn’t happened with the Mets.”

Kurkjian then concluded by saying, "There’s six weeks to go [in the regular season], and I fully expect him to get really hot and carry them into the playoffs. I’ve been saying that all year. I think it’s going to happen. It just really, truly, hasn't happened yet.”

Kurkjian's confidence in Soto speaks volumes, as he has a better understanding of the ins and outs of MLB players' lives than any other media member who didn't play the game themselves.

Mets fans are certainly hoping that Kurkjian is right about his final Soto prediction.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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