Just as he misjudged the ball he hit in Fenway Park on Monday night, Juan Soto missed the mark with his comments.
“I’ve been hustling pretty hard,” Soto said after the New York Mets’ 3-1 loss to the Red Sox. “If you see it today, you could tell.”
No. Here’s what everyone saw: For the second straight night, Soto did not run hard out of the batter’s box on a play.
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Even New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Monday night’s game that he would broach the topic with his superstar right fielder.
The latest instance occurred in the sixth inning when Soto hit a ball off the Green Monster in left field and admired its trajectory from the batter’s box.
Soto figured it would be a home run. It was not. And because Soto decided against running hard out of the batter’s box, he was held to a 347-foot single.
Juan Soto was asked about not hustling out of the box last night vs. the Yankees and tonight vs. the Red Sox
“I think I’ve been hustling pretty hard. If you see it today, you could tell” pic.twitter.com/vOmQivgtZR
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2025
Per Statcast, the ball would’ve been a home run in just one ballpark (Daikin Park, home of the Houston Astros). Over his career, Soto has played 10 games at Fenway Park. Not a lot. But enough to be cognizant of how the stadium can play tricks on fly balls.
“If someone gets a hold of one and knows when he gets it, it’s Juan,” Mendoza told reporters. “He thought he had it. But with the wind and all that, and in particular in this ballpark, you’ve got to get out of the box. We’ll discuss that.”
Mendoza is a skilled communicator. He has his players’ backs. He is also refreshingly candid in his assessments. In his comments to the press, Mendoza walked the line of protecting his star while also acknowledging the obvious need for a discussion. There’s no doubt here that the topic will be addressed.
It was just the night before when Soto didn’t hustle out of the box in a play against the New York Yankees. With the score tied at 2-2 in the eighth inning, Soto hit a ball up the middle. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu ranged to his right and made a sliding stop. By the time LeMahieu secured the ball, Soto was not yet halfway down the first-base line.
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After Monday’s game, Soto pushed back on the notion that he hasn’t hustled.
Soto speaks his mind. He does not seem interested in saying things just to appease people. In sports, we need more of that.
It’s just in this instance, Soto’s definition of hustle is off base.
It’s possible to see why he may think he is hustling at times, though. On the first pitch after his long single, Soto stole second base. It was his sixth stolen base of the season. He also swiped a base in a key situation against the Yankees over the weekend, taking third base in a game and then scoring on a sacrifice fly in a win for the Mets decided by one run. Beyond his newfound stealing prowess, Soto has often run the bases hard, going first to home on doubles and first to third on singles.
Clearly, he saw something he wanted to improve in his game, and his work is paying off. That’s good hustle, sure.
But here’s the thing: The primary definition of hustling is busting it out of the batter’s box.
Especially when it means the difference between a single and an out on a grounder. Especially when it means the difference between a single and an extra-base hit on a ball off the wall. Especially in New York City, where some fans can understand a slump or slow start, but are far less tolerant regarding any perceived lackadaisical play.
Especially when you’re Juan Soto, when you own a $765 million contract, the richest contract in sports, and when you haven’t yet produced at the elite level you’re capable of. Maybe with his customary robust numbers, this incident would have been a non-story.
But it’s clear by now that in the box score and out of the box, Soto needs to pick up the pace.
— The Athletic’s Tim Britton contributed to this report.
(Photo of Juan Soto: Eric Canha / Imagn Images)
This news was originally published on this post .