A bright spot for the NY Mets in their heartbreaking loss to the Braves

It's hard to believe, but Monday night was the first time that the New York Mets played the Atlanta Braves. For the first time since the unforgettable double header that ended the 2024 regular season, these bitter rivals were set to square off. Despite the Mets jumping out to an early 4-1 lead, they surrendered four unanswered runs and fell 5-4 in 10 innings.

While many would be quick to point out the negatives of these games, there were positives to be taken away. One of which was how Juan Soto performed in his first game playing in this rivalry. But how did Soto perform, and could it change the dynamics between these two clubs?

How Juan Soto preformed in his Mets-Braves debut

Soto had a good night at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a walk. This included his 14th home run of the season off Spencer Schwellenbach in the top of the first that gave the Mets the early 1-0 lead. It was a ball that Soto crushed, traveling 412 feet with an exit velocity of 108.4 mph. He also had a single in the top of the ninth but was doubled up after Ronald Acuna Jr robbed Pete Alonso of an extra base hit. Outside of that blunder, you couldn't ask much more out of Soto.

This stat line should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched Soto. Throughout his career, he has always seemed to get the better of the Braves. With him spending the first four and a half seasons of his career with the Nationals, he has a lot of experience. In 78 games against Atlanta, he has recorded 81 hits, 20 of them being home runs, 52 RBIs, and 61 runs. He also has a batting average of .329.

While the Mets have great moments against the Braves, the rivalry always seemed to favor Atlanta. Mets fans had to watch heartbreaking losses after heartbreaking losses, which span generations. It did not matter what year it was; the result was always the same. We had to watch as guys like Chipper Jones and Freddie Freeman routinely put up big numbers against the Mets.

However, for the first time in the rivalry's history, the Mets seem to have the players that keep Braves fans up at night. For the first time, the Mets might have themselves a "Braves Killer." Someone they can rely on to come up with the big hit or set the tone of a series. This changes the way the rivalry is viewed and will begin to alter the narrative of the Braves being the boogeyman the Mets cannot beat.

While Monday's loss is one fans want to forget as quickly as possible, we should remember this performance by Soto. It could be the start of something not yet seen in the history between these two clubs.