NY Mets Monday Morning GM: A long way past this year being all about Juan Soto

Citi Field has had a playoff-like atmosphere all year long with New York Mets fans packing themselves into the ballpark to see the first place team in the NL East do their business. What’s the reason behind the lack of empty seats? Point directly at the Juan Soto signing this offseason for the biggest uptick in sales.

This could have easily been a year all about Soto. For better or worse, every Mets game had a chance to focus exclusively on his performance. That time has passed. This isn’t a year about dissecting every at-bat of Soto’s. There isn’t anyone on the roster more expensive and yet he’s far from the most interesting thing going on with the Mets.

The Mets are far from the one-man band led by Juan Soto like it could’ve been

Soto is making orphans of baseballs. During yesterday’s doubleheader, an obliterated baseball took a ride over the outfield wall. The problem is there was some leather there attached to Victor Scott II’s hand.

Earlier in the day, in much less dramatic fashion, Soto had a Yankee Stadium homer that ended up as a long out.

For weeks Soto has been hitting the baseball well and not always getting it to land where he wants it. Times when he’s trying to swat a souvenir into the stands, something like this happens.

If not Soto, what is the story of the Mets this season?

Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have been brilliant with the former at the top of the list of potential MVP candidates. However, it’s not them stealing the thunder away from Soto. This year’s Mets team is all about the pitching blowing away expectations.

Mets starting pitchers have been roughed up a little more of late, but that was partly everything averaging out again. Kodai Senga still has a 1.38 ERA. Tylor Megill continues to show he has big league stuff and how difficult it will be to send him to the minors when they get some healthy bodies. Clay Holmes has denied his doubters the satisfaction of “I told you so” while Griffin Canning is turning into the steal of the offseason. There’s also David Peterson with his 3.06 ERA trailing his teammates with the worst total statistically. An impressive reduction down to only 2.5 walks per 9 is a starting pitcher best for the Mets and another reason to believe in him.

It’s not just the starters whose performances have grabbed eyeballs. A bullpen with Max Kranick as everyone’s favorite relief pitcher, Huascar Brazoban as the even more impressively important multi-inning reliever, and another year of brilliance from Reed Garrett has been discussed plenty by fans. Bullpens make or break many teams. It’s making.

Sure, it’s Soto the fans in other cities boo. Some might’ve specifically even bought tickets to see him play. He’s far from the story of the season, subject to change.

We should have always known this would be the case for a David Stearns-directed ball club. His reputation as a savvy baseball mind who does the small things incredibly well has never looked more true than with the 2025 team that he had the greatest hand in building. Yes, there are big budget players he could have only dreamed of having with the Milwaukee Brewers. It's those eyebrow-raising decisions with the pitching staff that, even after two losses against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, inspires a whole lot of confidence.

Soto has the face to put on a ticket stub. He's far from the only act on the card.