What Juan Soto told teammates during players-only meeting after loss to Pirates
After wrestling the division lead away from the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets surged ahead with a strong start in June. The Mets built a 5.5 game lead over the Phillies in the NL East before a seven-game losing streak kicked off a multi-week slump. After back-to-back blowout losses to the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York needed to talk about it.
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The Mets held a players' only meeting following Saturday's 9-2 defeat in Pittsburgh and Juan Soto is reportedly one of the team members who spoke, per the New York Post's Mike Puma. Soto kept his message simple, saying, 'Keep going. Believe in it.'
As Juan Soto heats up, the Mets cool down
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Soto has been one of the Mets' few bright spots during a disastrous stretch. The team has gone just 3-12 since taking a 5.5 game lead in the division on June 12. But Soto hasn't been the problem.
The Mets' $765 million man had a difficult time adjusting to his new team, causing an alarmingly slow start. Soto slashed .229/.355/.400 with 8 home runs 26 RBI and 34 runs scored over his first 56 games with the Mets.
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But the four-time All-Star has looked like a completely different player in June. Or, he stopped looking like a completely different player.
Either way, over his last 26 games Soto is slashing a blistering .329/.491/.788 with 12 home runs, 20 RBI and 27 runs scored. Those stats would put him on a 162-game pace for 75 home runs, 125 RBI and 168 runs scored. So, yeah, he's been hot in June.
While the Mets' bats were silenced in Friday's humbling loss to the Pirates, Soto prevented a shutout with his 20th home run of the season. Two games earlier Soto made Mets history, joining Darryl Strawberry as the only players in franchise history with 10 homers and 20 walks in a calendar month.
In that same contest Soto also broke Jimmie Foxx's record for the most multi-homer games before turning 27. Soto hit two bombs against the Braves, setting the all-time record with his 27th multi-homer game.
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Despite Soto's recent surge, the Mets are struggling. After two straight losses in Pittsburgh the team is 48-36 and half a game behind the Phillies in the NL East.
Related: Mets' Griffin Canning sends message to New York fans after Achilles injury
Related: Juan Soto nails Pirates for 20th Mets home run
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