Juan Soto looking much less glamorous as a future free agent target

With owner Steve Cohen at the helm, the New York Mets will always be in on big free agents in the coming years. They were able to snag past free agents with the likes of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, to name a few.

As everyone in the baseball world knows, the next big free agent to hit the market is duel threat Shohei Ohtani, and we Mets fans will cross our fingers for that to happen. However, one superstar will be available in the year 2024 that the Mets should consider passing up on.

Future Mets free agent target Juan Soto has looked less desirable than he once did

Old division foe Juan Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres in a blockbuster trade last season. The Padres mortgaged their future to land the star outfielder to try and win a World Series before Soto's contract is up. With Soto alongside star players such as Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado, and newly added Xander Bogarts, people would think this team would be an absolute powerhouse. However, that has not been the case with how Soto has been playing

The Mets are familiar with Soto from his days in Washington, as he looked like one of the best young stars in baseball. In five years with the Nationals, he hit .291 with 358 HR and an OPS of .966. He was an absolute stud, and when he was on the trade block last season, many people thought the Mets should have emptied the farm to try and land him. Let's say thank god that didn't happen.

In 52 games with the Padres last season, he only hit .236 with 6 HR and had an OPS of .778, which is mind-boggling to a player with Soto's talent and history. But, unfortunately, it hasn't gotten better this season and has even heard many "boos" from the San Diego crowd as he has struggled too mightly.

Mets fans have eyed Soto for years, and with Steve Cohen's wallet, this is a possibility when his contract is up in 2024. But, with how he has looked the last year, he is not looking like a player you would give 50 million dollars plus a year. I am not saying he can't turn it around and make himself more attractive, but he has not looked like the Juan Soto from Washington, and the Mets need to consider that when thinking about making a run at him when he hits the market.