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Mets Juan Soto reveals initial reaction to Carlos Mendoza’s leadoff request
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- Mets Juan Soto reveals initial reaction to Carlos Mendoza’s leadoff request
Mets Juan Soto reveals initial reaction to Carlos Mendoza's leadoff request appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
When New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza approached superstar outfielder Juan Soto about a new role at the top of the lineup, the answer was immediate — and emphatic.
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"I told him right away whatever he wants. Wherever he wants me, I'll be there. Anything that I can help the team out, I'm going to be open to doing it," Soto told SNY. The buy-in was instant , and it didn't take long for the move to pay dividends.
Mendoza broached the subject with Soto on Sunday, May 4, ahead of the Mets' series opener against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field — and by Monday, Soto was penciled in at the top of the order for just the third time in his career. It marked his first leadoff appearance since May 30, 2021, when then-Nationals manager Davey Martinez made the same move to jolt Soto out of a slump.
The rationale behind Mendoza's decision was largely a reaction to how opposing teams had been deploying their bullpens. Multiple times the previous weekend, teams were bringing in left-handed relievers to neutralize Soto in the middle of the game — forcing Mendoza into tough decisions far earlier than he would have liked. Batting Soto leadoff makes that strategy far more complicated for opposing managers, while also giving the $765 million man the maximum number of plate appearances possible.
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The experiment yielded immediate results. On Wednesday, Soto crushed a 435-foot solo shot off Colorado's Michael Lorenzen on the third pitch of the game — the first leadoff home run of his career.
"It's great. Punch first in the first inning with the team is always great," Soto told SNY following the blast.
The Mets went on to rout the Rockies 10-5, pounding out 15 hits and improving to 14-22 on the season. For a team that has struggled mightily in 2026, the leadoff experiment is off to a promising start — and Soto, as always, appears ready to do whatever it takes.
Soto had already issued a warning after the Mets' dominant win over Washington just days prior, declaring, "This is just the beginning." If his first career leadoff homer is any indication, Mendoza may have found the spark this lineup desperately needed.
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