Mets Make Major Juan Soto Lineup Change

As the New York Mets start their series against the Colorado Rockies, manager Carlos Mendoza made a surprising change to the lineup.

May 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) reaches first on a single against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

When you have the worst record in the league and the second-highest payroll, a shakeup is needed. On Monday, the New York Mets made a surprising change to their lineup ahead of their series opener against the Colorado Rockies.

Juan Soto isn’t a name you regularly see hitting leadoff. The superstar outfielder is one of the best pure hitters in the league, and has made a career out of the three-spot, providing protection for names like Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso. But on Monday, Soto will find himself in unfamiliar territory at the top of the order.

Juan Soto is batting leadoff today for the third time in his career and first time since 2021 pic.twitter.com/AVsZJFQeSV

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 4, 2026

With Francisco Lindor on the Injured List, the move makes sense on paper. Soto has the team’s highest OBP by more than 20 points and has 12 walks to just 13 strikeouts. But he is also the Mets’ best hitter and one of the only threats to bring in runs.

The move by Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is a curious one. Soto has only hit leadoff twice in his career, both times with the Washington Nationals: in 2018 as a rookie and then again in 2021. From an analytics standpoint, Colorado Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano has had reverse splits through his first two years in MLB. Sugano has allowed a higher batting average and OBP to right-handed batters. This makes the move away from right-handed hitting Bo Bichette at leadoff an interesting decision.

On the flip side, the need for a drastic change is also understandable. Time is running out fast for the Mets, as they find themselves already 12.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East division and 8.0 games back of the NL Wild Card. Normally, a matchup with the Rockies would be a good way to snap out of a funk, but the Mets were just swept by Colorado at Citi Field ten days earlier.

Starting IX. #LGM pic.twitter.com/Tw0jtElLRR

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 4, 2026

Soto hitting leadoff for the Mets could be the spark this offense needs, especially in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. The move is akin to the Los Angeles Dodgers moving Shohei Ohtani to the leadoff spot in 2024. Since then, the Dodgers have gone on to win two World Series, and Ohtani has won back-to-back NL MVP Awards. Not to say that the move will catapult the Mets to the World Series, but there is something to be said about giving your best hitter as many at-bats as possible.

With Lindor on the shelf for at least another few weeks, Soto’s move to the leadoff spot could be looked back upon as a turning point for the Mets’ season.

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