Juan Soto's .147 June Is Staggering, and the Mets Are Still Counting On Him

Alright Seattle fam, listen up! We've been watching the early season fireworks, and while we're always tracking our M's, some wild stuff is going down across the league. Case in point: Juan Soto. You know the name, right? He absolutely torched the first few months of the season, but then June hit him like a ton of bricks. We're talking a brutal .147 batting average, a .237 on-base percentage, and a measly .265 slugging percentage through nine games this month. Ouch. But hold up, because Thursday against the Cardinals, Soto went full clutch hero, and the Mets are praying it's the spark they need as they stare down the Braves.

From Slump to Spark: Soto's Rollercoaster Week

Before Thursday's game, Soto was in a legitimate slump, going just 3-for-30 over his previous eight games. That's rough, no matter who you are. The Mets' offense has been sputtering, especially with Francisco Lindor sidelined due to a calf strain, so they desperately need Soto's bat. Then, BOOM, Thursday night happened. He doubled in the fifth and scored to tie the game at 4. Then, in the seventh, he hammered a solo home run for the go-ahead run, sealing a 5-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals. That's what we call stepping up! Soto himself said it: "That's what we play for, that's what we grind for to get the tough situations and come through. Sometimes, it gets a little harder, but that's what we work for and that's what we focus on try to do damage every time." Mets manager Carlos Mendoza pointed out that Soto always has "a sense of urgency" and "wants to be the guy." For the season, Soto is hitting .277 with 14 homers and 31 RBIs, so the power is there. They just need him to find that consistency again.

Mets Bottom Out as Braves Look to Reset

While Soto's heroics offered a flicker of hope, the Mets are still sitting dead last in the NL East. They need more than one clutch game to climb out of that hole. The schedule isn't doing them any favors either, as they open a three-game home series against the Atlanta Braves tonight. The Braves are a powerhouse, third in the majors with 92 home runs, fourth with 593 hits, and third with 341 RBIs. They rarely lose, dropping consecutive games only four times this season and just one three-game skid back in April. But guess what? Even the best hit a snag sometimes. The Braves just dropped two straight to the White Sox, even struggling offensively in a 2-1 loss, going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 men on base. Atlanta manager Walt Weiss summed it up: "We had opportunities. I think we hit some balls hard, but bottom line is we left 10 guys on base and didn't get the big hit, so it's tough to win scoring one." Tonight's pitching matchup features Mets right-hander Nolan McLean (3-4, 3.98 ERA), who beat the Braves last season, going seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits in a 12-7 win. The Braves counter with Spencer Strider (4-1, 4.00 ERA), who's had his ups and downs against the Mets, holding a 6-2 record with a 6.11 ERA in 11 career appearances. So, can Soto keep that bat hot and spark a Mets turnaround against a Braves team that's looking to snap out of a mini-funk? This series is huge for the Mets, a real test of whether they can start crawling out of the cellar. As for our Mariners, it was a tough one today in the Emerald City. Our M's fell to the Baltimore Orioles with a final score of 7-5. We'll get 'em next time, Seattle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.