Mets Manager to Discuss Hustle with Juan Soto After Green Monster Play

BOSTON — Mets manager Carlos Mendoza plans to discuss Juan Soto‘s effort level after the star outfielder’s unusual play at Fenway Park on Monday night against the Boston Red Sox.

During the sixth inning, with a strong wind blowing in, Soto hit a 102 mph line drive toward the Green Monster. He stood watching as the ball bounced off the wall, which left him with a single instead of what he believed would be a home run.

“He thought he had it,” Mendoza said after the Mets’ loss. “But with the wind and all that, and in this ballpark — anywhere, but in particular in this one, with that wall right there — you’ve got to get out of the box. So, yeah, we’ll discuss that.”

Soto managed to steal second base on the next pitch, but he was left stranded on third when the inning ended. He defended his actions, saying, “I think I’ve been hustling pretty hard. If you see it today, you can tell.”

The Green Monster is known for turning potential home runs into singles, and earlier in the game, a teammate was thrown out trying to advance to second on a similar play. However, it was not the first time Soto’s effort was questioned; he did not run out a ground ball on Sunday night at Yankee Stadium, which also caught Mendoza’s attention.

“We’ll talk to him about it,” Mendoza said, referring to Soto’s running during the past games.

In his recent return to Yankee Stadium, Soto struggled at the plate, hitting just 1 for 10 in the series and receiving boos from the crowd. His overall offensive numbers this season, including nine double plays compared to eight home runs, have put him under the spotlight after signing a record $765 million contract with the Mets in the offseason.

Soto’s performance has led to scrutiny as the Mets have fallen out of first place for the first time since April 9.