Not even an entire season without the New York Yankees, and Juan Soto is already complaining. Sounds quite silly, right? The New York Mets star hasn’t yet been in his best form. Now, reportedly, he is blaming the different approaches by pitchers and not having Aaron Judge behind him as the reasons for his struggles. But the reality says something else after the stats of the Mets’ star get revealed.

Let us take a look at his performance in 2024 before we get to this year’s numbers. With a .419 OBP and a .989 OPS in 2024, Soto’s batting average was .288. He also recorded 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and 129 walks. However, this season, Soto hasn’t been the same, yet! So far, he has made too many walks and groundballs and not caused much extra-base damage. With a .256 BA, a .385 OBP, and a .821 OPS, Soto seems to be getting there.

Then what about the complaint!

Well, just like Aaron Judge, Juan Soto now has Pete Alonso batting behind him. The only difference lies in the change in protection from Judge and Alonso, due to which Soto will likely face fewer competitive pitches. Those who have been watching Soto closely can easily identify the truth. Just like last season, Juan Soto is still in the fifth percentile for the pitches in the strike zone; however, his walks have increased.

Soto is talking more about the frequency of hittable pitches, even though the pitching patterns have changed somewhat, such as the fact that he now faces a lot of sliders and sweepers.

“I would say I am getting a decent amount of strikes, but there are some specific situations where pitchers don’t attack,” Juan Soto said. Well, pitchers always want to come up with new strategies, especially the left-handed pitchers. However, there are very few pitches that go over the heart of the plate in 2024 and 2025 when we look at the early counts, even counts, pitchers ahead, and pitchers behind statistics. The difference is only a few percentage points; for instance, pitcher behind points have slightly increased while early and even counts have decreased by about three percentage points.

So, basically, it’s pretty much the same. Although he is attempting to take the majority of the pitches, Soto has been pitched against outside the strike zone. However, he does not seem to be the same Juan Soto who used to make strikes for fun.

And meanwhile, his recent complaint and statement about Aaron Judge have also sparked reactions from a Yankees fan, who believes Soto is regretting his decision to sign with the Mets.

Is Juan Soto regretting his decision after leaving the Yankees?

That’s what an iconic Yankees fan, Rich Eisen, thinks as he takes a direct jab at Juan Soto after his statement. Eisen said, “Soto buyer’s remorse, it’s just delicious. He missed Judge; he misses having the best.” This clearly gives an indication that Soto might be missing his former team and regretting his decision to sign with the Mets for such a massive $765 million deal. It is also true that a player of his calibre is scarcely excused by his subpar play. Right?

Absolutely! But what’s alluring to see is that despite all the criticism and debates surrounding Juan Soto, the fan base hasn’t lost its faith in him. Remember the standing ovation during the highly anticipated game between the Mets and the Cardinals, which served as a catalyst for his performance? He managed to secure a two-run double along with a walk and three RBIs (the most for this season), which led the team to acquire a 7-4 win over the Cardinals.

Now, Soto stands at 3 HRs and 12 RBIs – not so bad for just the start of the season! Especially for someone who has been going through struggles recently. 

Juan Soto’s swings are also getting better gradually. Soto appreciated the crowd for such a gesture, saying, “It’s been great; this crowd has been unbelievable day in and day out. I really love the support. They’ve been great since day one, so thank you.” Although Soto didn’t mention anything about his regret, his acknowledgement of the support will definitely serve the purpose of motivation and a morale boost.

And feels like Soto himself got pretty inspired with his own performance, “It will never always go great. Through the year, it’s a long season and it’s a lot of at-bats. There are ups and downs, but whenever you click in and find your spot, that’s when everything starts.”

Meanwhile, his former teammate, Aaron Judge, believes that it’s just a matter of time before Juan Soto makes a comeback. Judge still has faith in Soto and thinks that with Pete Alonso on his side, everything will work out in due time.

 What do you think of Juan Soto’s recent difficulties and the displayed statistics? Dive in and let your responses flow in.