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Juan Soto is an All-Star for the first time as a Met.
Selected by the fans, the Mets' 27-year-old outfielder was named to his fifth career All-Star Game and will make his second Midsummer Classic start.
"It's great," Soto said of joining the National League for the July 14 game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. "This is a great feeling. It's really fun to be in the summer with so many talented players in the All-Star Game. It's going to be fun."
Soto entered Saturday's game at the Atlanta Braves leading the NL with a .971 OPS and .406 on-base percentage.
"I mean, it's always a new day," he said of his focus level despite the Mets' 2026 season not going according to plan. "It's always a new day. Forget about what is going on, what happened for the past month and focus on today. That's one of the things that's helped me most to stay consistent. Come every day to win a ballgame. It doesn't matter if you win or lose last night. We focus on what we can do today."
Before the Mets faced the Braves, Soto ranked second in the NL in slugging (.565), eighth in batting average (.297) and tied for ninth in home runs (18).
"I think that's what makes him really special," interim manager Andy Green said of Soto. "Certainly, everybody's numbers tend to be better when your team is performing well. I think that's contagious. I think everybody feeds off one another. I think we help each other by playing really well and doing our jobs well. He hasn't had that and he's still leading the National League in OPS right now, so not much more you can ask of a guy like that. It's been special."
This is Soto's first All-Star nod since 2024 when he was with the Yankees.
"I mean, it's always a lot of gratitude for me," Soto said. "But I would say it's the same. I just fell short last year. Definitely, it just kind of motivated me. I've got to be better, I've got to be better to be with the best of the best in the league. And, definitely, this year, I came in with a different mentality and thank God I made it."
Soto, who was previously an All-Star from 2021-23 with the Washington Nationals, added that he has "been thinking about" the July 13 Home Run Derby but "will see."
"I don't know," Soto said. "I've definitely been thinking about it. We're still thinking. Philadelphia, it seems like it's going to be fun. I will see. I will see."
What will go into his decision?
"I mean, I've got to check where my body's at, how much I need to recover and be ready for the second half and definitely, we've got to think on everything," he said. "We've got to think on every situation and we go from there."
Soto is slashing .297/.406/.565 with 18 home runs and 41 RBI through 69 games.
"He loves baseball," Green said. "He's set out to be one of the best players in the history of the game, and the best players in the game are at the All-Star Game every year. So, it's a place he deserves to be. It's a place he belongs, and I don't have the depth of a personal relationship at this point in time to say this but I certainly believe he relishes the opportunity to be around other great players."
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Selected by the fans, the Mets' 27-year-old outfielder was named to his fifth career All-Star Game and will make his second Midsummer Classic start.
"It's great," Soto said of joining the National League for the July 14 game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. "This is a great feeling. It's really fun to be in the summer with so many talented players in the All-Star Game. It's going to be fun."
Soto entered Saturday's game at the Atlanta Braves leading the NL with a .971 OPS and .406 on-base percentage.
"I mean, it's always a new day," he said of his focus level despite the Mets' 2026 season not going according to plan. "It's always a new day. Forget about what is going on, what happened for the past month and focus on today. That's one of the things that's helped me most to stay consistent. Come every day to win a ballgame. It doesn't matter if you win or lose last night. We focus on what we can do today."
Before the Mets faced the Braves, Soto ranked second in the NL in slugging (.565), eighth in batting average (.297) and tied for ninth in home runs (18).
"I think that's what makes him really special," interim manager Andy Green said of Soto. "Certainly, everybody's numbers tend to be better when your team is performing well. I think that's contagious. I think everybody feeds off one another. I think we help each other by playing really well and doing our jobs well. He hasn't had that and he's still leading the National League in OPS right now, so not much more you can ask of a guy like that. It's been special."
This is Soto's first All-Star nod since 2024 when he was with the Yankees.
"I mean, it's always a lot of gratitude for me," Soto said. "But I would say it's the same. I just fell short last year. Definitely, it just kind of motivated me. I've got to be better, I've got to be better to be with the best of the best in the league. And, definitely, this year, I came in with a different mentality and thank God I made it."
Soto, who was previously an All-Star from 2021-23 with the Washington Nationals, added that he has "been thinking about" the July 13 Home Run Derby but "will see."
"I don't know," Soto said. "I've definitely been thinking about it. We're still thinking. Philadelphia, it seems like it's going to be fun. I will see. I will see."
What will go into his decision?
"I mean, I've got to check where my body's at, how much I need to recover and be ready for the second half and definitely, we've got to think on everything," he said. "We've got to think on every situation and we go from there."
Soto is slashing .297/.406/.565 with 18 home runs and 41 RBI through 69 games.
"He loves baseball," Green said. "He's set out to be one of the best players in the history of the game, and the best players in the game are at the All-Star Game every year. So, it's a place he deserves to be. It's a place he belongs, and I don't have the depth of a personal relationship at this point in time to say this but I certainly believe he relishes the opportunity to be around other great players."
Continue reading...
