By Sunday 
Don’t look now, but Juan Soto might be finding his groove — and Mets fans are here for it.
After a slow and somewhat frustrating start to his Mets career, Soto showed real signs of life during the recent four-game set against his former team, the Washington Nationals. He went 6-for-15 in the series, including three multi-hit games and a pair of doubles — both in the last two matchups. That’s more extra-base hits in two games than he had in the previous ten combined.
Turning Point: Finding the Holes
So, what’s changed?
According to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, it’s all about approach — and maybe a little bit of baseball luck finally catching up.
“He continues to hit the ball hard, and now he’s getting results,” Mendoza said after the Mets’ 19-5 demolition of the Nationals on Monday. “Now, the ball is finding holes, you know? When he wasn’t getting results, he was still hitting the ball hard right at people.”
Soto added another solid performance Monday, going 2-for-4 with a double smoked down the left field line — a textbook opposite-field shot.
“It was good to see him go the other way,” Mendoza said. “He’s another great hitter.”
Soto’s History Says: Be Patient
This isn’t the first time Soto has had a sluggish start. In fact, slow Aprils are kind of his thing. Even during a strong 2023 campaign with the Yankees — where he hit .325 with a 1.019 OPS through the first month — March and April remain statistically the weakest months of his career.
This year? He’s now hitting .254 with a .788 OPS. Not eye-popping, but certainly a step in the right direction.
“I’m Still Not Where I Want to Be”
Last week, Soto opened up about his early struggles and where he’s at mentally.
“I’m still getting into a rhythm and working on getting my timing,” he told NJ Advance Media after a win over the Phillies. “I’m still not at the point where I want to be, but I’ve been feeling better little by little every day.”
That “little by little” is starting to look like progress. If this weekend was any indication, the power, patience, and plate discipline that made Soto a superstar could be right around the corner.
And when that rhythm does kick in fully — watch out, NL East.