Mets Feel the Heat
The New York Mets are currently facing a tumultuous period, with players under intense scrutiny from frustrated fans. Not even star player Pete Alonso, just two homers shy of the franchise record, escaped the crowd’s jeers when he grounded out to end the sixth inning. Fellow stars like Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo, usually seen as immune to criticism, also felt the sting of public discontent.
Juan Soto’s Eventful Performance
Juan Soto, newly arrived and already under the spotlight, joined in the chorus of disappointment when he grounded out right before Alonso. The incident was met with a chorus of boos from the 40,072 fans in attendance, who may have felt luckier to see a significant number of empty seats—approximately 15,000 no-shows—than to witness the on-field struggles.
A Costly Mistake
Soto’s struggles continued when he mishandled a ball in the outfield, allowing a run to score. Though it appeared at first to be a lack of effort, it was later determined that this was not the case.
A Moment of Redemption
Despite the earlier setback, Soto redeemed himself by hitting a home run that ended Gavin Williams’ impressive no-hit bid after eight and one-third innings. However, the moment was tinged with humor as the ball bounced back into play towards Cleveland center fielder Angel Martínez just as Soto was taking off from the batter’s box, nearly leading to a rare 8-4-3 out in the scorebook.
