Batting second in the dream Mets lineup, left fielder Juan Soto
Let’s waste no time in getting to the juiciest part of this dream. Batting second in the dream Mets lineup is left fielder Juan Soto. His position in left field isn’t anything permanent. He should see some action in right field and even as the DH on a regular basis. In constructing this Mets lineup, consideration was given to piecing together multiple defensive alignments.
Whether you want Soto in left field, right field, or at DH, your dream Mets lineup needs to contain him. A generational free agent that’ll test the Mets’ ability to use their financial might this offseason, landing him would prove a couple of things.
For starters, the power of Steve Cohen’s wallet. Soto’s contract will come second to only what Shohei Ohtani will eventually be paid. Maybe he takes even more. Soto amazingly turned only 26 in late October. He’s going to get a contract to take him through the rest of his 20s and most, if not all, of his 30s. It’ll be a complicated deal possibly with some player options along the way. Soto has to fight inflation somehow. A $600 million contract won’t be worth nearly as much in 2035 as it will be in 2025.
Batting second makes the most sense for Soto because of his on-base prowess. Get him as many at-bats as possible. Knowing you have to deal with him after Lindor should strike even more fear into the spines of opposing teams.