Jason Burgos
It looks like New York Mets superstar Juan Soto may have an unexpected new pal on the roster, and that is a very good thing for the club.
Thursday was a great day for NY Mets fans. The team had a good matchup on Opening Day against the new-look Pittsburgh Pirates and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes. When they quickly got down 2-0 after the top of the first, you can bet supporters of the team started to feel dread in their hearts.
However, the teams’ heavily revised batting order would go to work on Skenes and the Pirates’ pitching staff. Scoring 11 runs and forcing Skenes out in the first inning of their 11-7 opening day victory. In the win, Soto went 2-4 with an RBI and run, and one of the more memorable moments was highly-touted rookie Carson Benge hitting a homer in his big league debut.
The team has high hopes for the youngster, and it seems he may have an interesting ally in the clubhouse. On Friday, SNY’s Mets X account posted a video of clips of what seems like a growing friendship between Benge and the team’s top star, Soto.
The footage shows the pair has a unique handshake, several moments where Soto is showing the rookie a lot of love, and he seems genuinely happy when he is around. That is a big deal, because the four-time All-Star’s lack of outward passion at times during his first season in Queens was an ongoing story. Especially since he seemed to show so much joy playing in the Bronx for the New York Yankees in 2024.
Why a friendship between Juan Soto & Carson Benge is great for the NY Mets
A major story during the offseason was the front office’s attempts to fix rumored problems in the locker room by bringing in proven leaders and clubhouse unifiers like Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Freddy Peralta.
While Soto eventually became an MVP candidate in 2025, there are many MLB pundits who feel that if he is happy and enjoying himself, he can be one of the most dominant forces in baseball. His excitement around Benge is a departure from how he was at this point a year ago.
If Benge can bring a jubilation out of the Dominican, that is fantastic news for the NY Mets. However, if the 27-year-old wants to take the 23-year-old under his wing and show him what it takes to be a star in the league, that may be even better news for the team.
