Trending Now - Mets Experiment With Juan Soto as Leadoff Hitter Again
WHO:
NY Post - Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is involved in the decision to move Juan Soto to the leadoff spot.
MLB.com - Juan Soto is the player being moved to the leadoff position.
WHAT:
NY Post - Juan Soto hit leadoff for the first time in nearly five years as the Mets search for lineup answers.
MLB.com - Soto has been batting .314 with an on-base percentage of .415 and a slugging percentage of .500 over the last 19 games, contributing three home runs and 12 walks.
MLB.com - The Mets are currently on a nine-game road trip out West.
NY Post - Juan Soto hit leadoff for the first time in nearly five years.
MLB.com - This marks the third time in Juan Soto's career that he has batted leadoff.
MLB.com - The Mets entered play ranked 29th in the Majors in runs, 29th in on-base percentage, and 30th in slugging.
MLB.com - Soto has a batting average of .314, an on-base percentage of .415, and a slugging percentage of .500 over the last 19 games.
WHERE:
MLB.com - The events are taking place in Denver, where the Mets are playing.
WHEN:
MLB.com - Soto last batted leadoff on May 30, 2021.
MLB.com - Soto batted leadoff as a rookie on May 30, 2018.
MLB.com - Ronny Mauricio is expected to return from injury mid-to-late June.
WHY:
MLB.com - Mendoza's decision to bat Soto leadoff is aimed at maximizing his at-bats and complicating opposing teams' pitching decisions, particularly against left-handed pitchers.
MLB.com - Mendoza's decision to bat Soto leadoff is aimed at maximizing his at-bats and creating traffic on the bases.
MLB.com - The Mets' offensive struggles have been exacerbated by injuries to key players like Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr.
HOW:
MLB.com - Mendoza communicated the change to Soto, who agreed to the move, stating, “I’ll do whatever the team needs.”
MLB.com - Mendoza's strategy involves placing Soto in the leadoff position to complicate opposing teams' decisions regarding pitching matchups.
MLB.com - Mendoza communicated the change to Soto, who agreed to the move, stating, “I’ll do whatever the team needs.”
(UPDATED May 5, 2026 13:25 UTC)
In a strategic move, the Mets have decided to bat Juan Soto leadoff for the first time in nearly five years as they seek lineup solutions during their nine-game road trip out West. Over the last 19 games, Soto has been impressive, hitting .314 with an on-base percentage of .415 and contributing three home runs and 12 walks. Manager Mendoza communicated this change to Soto, who expressed his willingness to adapt, saying, “I’ll do whatever the team needs.”
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(UPDATED May 5, 2026 01:31 UTC)
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has decided to move Juan Soto to the leadoff spot, marking the first time Soto has batted leadoff in nearly five years and the third time in his career. This strategic shift comes as the Mets struggle offensively, currently ranked near the bottom in runs, on-base percentage, and slugging, and is intended to maximize Soto's at-bats while creating more opportunities on the bases. Soto, who has been performing well with a .314 batting average and a .500 slugging percentage over his last 19 games, agreed to the change, saying, “I’ll do whatever the team needs.”