It hasn’t been the start Juan Soto and the New York Mets were looking for after signing a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract.
The 26-year-old four-time All-Star is slashing .247/.379/.437, with eight home runs, nine doubles, and a 134 OPS+. Those numbers fall well below his career marks of .283/.419/.528 and a 159 OPS+.
At this point last year with the New York Yankees, Soto was slashing .309/.408/.539 with 11 home runs. Another significant difference between this year and last is his bat speed.
Soto’s bat speed is currently 2 mph slower than it was last year (75.4 to 73.3).
“What we’re seeing from Soto is I think last year with Yankee Stadium, he saw that left field, he went and got the ball, his point of contact was out in front of his body more than it ever had been, his swing was longer,” The Athletic’s MLB analyst Eno Sarris told the “Foul Territory” podcast. “And so, his bat speed was higher just because he was getting the ball out in front and it was being measured at a different point. On the other hand, even if you account for those things, his swing is a little bit slower this year.”
There's a chance we won't see the 40-homer Juan Soto again unless his bat speed picks back up, says @EnoSarris.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 21, 2025
"It does mean something that he's lost bat speed. It probably means he's lost that sort of elite upper-end power." pic.twitter.com/Z2Rq5Tglvm
With Soto’s decreased bat speed, Sarris warns the Mets might not see the elite power from Soto that he previously displayed.
“I don’t think we’re going to see the 40-homer Juan Soto again unless his bat speed returns,” Sarris explained, referencing the 41-homer season Soto had in his only season with the Yankees. “The upper-end power, the home run swings, they come on faster swings. You get twice as many homers on 73 and 74 mile an hour swings, than you get on 70 mile an hour swings.”
He continued: “It does mean something that he’s lost bat speed. It probably means he’s lost that sort of elite upper-end power.”
Though Soto’s bat speed has decreased, it doesn’t mean he’s no longer an elite player. Sarris believes Soto can still hit 32 to 34 home runs and maintain a .420 on-base percentage.
“The way I look at it, he’s still elite with the eye, he’s still amazing with the eye and that’s going to make him age really well,” added Sarris.
Last year, Soto recorded the first 40-homer season of his career when he finished third in AL MVP voting. Before last year, his previous career high was 35 in 2023 with the San Diego Padres.
