Juan Soto sent a message to Shohei Ohtani and NY Mets fans are loving it

Juan Soto didn’t just take a swing at Shohei Ohtani, he aimed it straight at the entire National League.

When Anthony DiComo asked whether Ohtani is basically an “insurmountable obstacle” in the MVP race, Soto didn’t give the usual spring-training fluff about just helping the team win and “letting the numbers take care of themselves.” He gave a line that sounds like it was written for Citi Field noise: “He better keep doing what he’s doing… because I’m coming.”

And Mets fans should be eating that up. Because that quote isn’t really about an award. It’s about identity.

Mets fans can’t ignore the message Juan Soto just sent to Shohei Ohtani

This is the kind of statement that tells you exactly what type of superstar the Mets signed: The kind who expects the league to adjust to him. That matters because the Mets haven’t just been chasing wins; they’ve been chasing legitimacy. 

For years, the Mets have tried on different versions of “serious contender.” Sometimes it’s been star power. Sometimes it’s been depth. Sometimes it’s been flat out hope and “if everything breaks right.” What they haven’t consistently had is a face-of-the-NL tone-setter who talks like the league belongs to him.

Soto does. He’s telling everyone in that clubhouse, “Don’t just be talented. Be mean about it.” Because the Mets don’t need another season where they spend the first half figuring out who they are. They need to walk into the year with an attitude that says the goal isn’t relevance, it’s dominance. 

That’s why this lands so hard in February. The Mets didn’t bring Soto here to be polite, or to give a professional quote and quietly stack a 4-WAR season. They brought him here to change the temperature.

Ohtani is Ohtani — a walking cheat code with a Dodgers machine behind him. Soto acknowledges that, too, while making it clear he’s not interested in conceding anything.

The best part is what this signals for the rest of the roster. This is the kind of competitive arrogance that spreads. If Soto’s mindset is “I’m coming,” then the Mets’ mindset should be all about hunting for October.

That’s the message to Ohtani, the NL, and to every team that’s gotten comfortable acting like the Mets are a punchline until proven otherwise.

Soto just reminded them that the proof might be arriving early.