Juan Soto storyline is a distraction for a poor NY Mets trend that won't go away

The red carpet has been out for days, rolling straight through the Bronx and into every pregame segment, headline, and promo graphic. Juan Soto’s return to Yankee Stadium as a member of the New York Mets became the kind of story that writes itself: star slugger, bitter crowd, borough clash, drama baked in. The buildup didn’t disappoint as boos rained, Soto grinned, and the spotlight never wavered. But while the cameras tracked his every move, they missed the story quietly eating away at the Mets for weeks. The lineup hasn’t just cooled off, it’s vanished. And no amount of Bronx fanfare can distract from a trend growing all too familiar.

For nearly a week leading up to Juan Soto’s return to the Bronx, the media buzzed nonstop about his arrival, while the NY Mets’ sputtering offense barely got a mention.

Over 15 games this May, the Mets have gone 8–7, but that record hides a lineup with one glaring issue: an inability to hit with runners in scoring position. During this stretch, creating opportunities hasn’t been the problem, they rank fifth in MLB this month with a .345 on-base percentage, thanks to a .261 batting average and 54 walks. But when it comes to runners in scoring position, the bats have gone silent. A .219 batting average, 24th in the majors, and just 38 RBIs, good for 22nd, reveal a team failing to cash in on its chances.

The hole in the middle of the order has been especially glaring. The hitters batting fourth and fifth this month are just 4-for-22 with runners in scoring position, striking out seven times. Pete Alonso, who carried the offense early on, has hit a cold streak, going 7-for-40 in his last 10 games with only four RBIs and three extra-base hits. Slumps like these usually dominate headlines, but as long as Soto’s story steals the show, the Mets’ real problem remains in the shadows.

Juan Soto’s return to the Bronx made for great theater and the Mets were happy to take center stage in that spotlight. But as the curtain falls on this week’s show, the real story stubbornly refuses to exit stage left. The offense’s struggles with runners in scoring position are not a one-week hiccup, but a persistent issue that no flashy headline or star power can mask. Until the Mets can turn those chances into runs, the buzz around Soto will remain a convenient distraction, a glittering sideshow hiding a lineup that desperately needs to deliver when it matters most.