When the New York Mets signed Juan Soto to a contract worth nearly $800 million in December 2024, many expected them to become immediate World Series contenders.
Instead, the Mets won just 83 games and missed the playoffs last season. This year, it has been even worse, as New York sits at 35-49 and in last place in the NL East.
The Mets’ ineptitude resulted in the firing of manager Carlos Mendoza, and while his dismissal did not come as a surprise, it did draw the ire of fans and media pundits.
Why? Because owner Steve Cohen has been the primary issue with New York, and general manager David Stearns has constructed an incredibly flawed roster.
Now, former Mets hitting coach and bench coach Eric Chavez has taken Soto to task, questioning why he is so distant from his teammates and ripping an unnamed executive for favoring the All-Star outfielder.
“This is a lack of leadership, a lack of accountability, from the top down,” Chavez said on his EC3 podcast. “And we had an assistant GM who would sit there with [Soto] — the assistant GM would sit there with him — and kind of coddle him, tap him on the shoulder, without saying, ‘Hey dude, how about getting in the dugout with your teammates.'”
This isn’t the first time Soto has been questioned for his attitude in Queens, especially considering that he seemed far more engaged during his lone season with the crosstown rival New York Yankees.
Rumor has it that Soto doesn’t see eye-to-eye with shortstop Francisco Lindor, but if we’re being honest, Lindor himself has had issues with now-former teammates.
The entire situation has been a mess for the Amazins, but Chavez seems to think Soto is at the crux of it. He went as far to warn the Mets’ front office that Soto’s actions would be a “negative influence” on the team’s younger players, and Stearns didn’t take too kindly to it.
“Those players need to learn that they’re not Juan Soto,” Stearns apparently told Chavez.
Soto slashed .263/.396/.525 with 43 home runs and 105 RBI last season. Thus far in 2026, he leads the National League with a .972 OPS and has homered 17 times while driving in 39 runs.
The 27-year-old is under contract with New York through 2039.
