The Mets were hoping Juan Soto would bring his Bronx firepower across town when they signed him to a massive deal this past offseason. And while the 26-year-old superstar has been excellent in Queens, something just feels different — at least to him.
It’s not the city. It’s not the jersey. It’s who’s not in the on-deck circle.
Life Without Judge Isn’t the Same
Last season, Soto enjoyed the kind of protection that most hitters only dream about — hitting directly in front of Aaron Judge, arguably the most feared slugger in the sport. That kind of lineup security changes everything. Pitchers can’t pitch around you when a baseball titan is looming in the batter’s box next.
“It’s definitely different,” Soto told The New York Post’s Mike Puma. “I had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me. I was getting more attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.”
And the numbers back that up. In 2024, Soto posted a career-high 41 home runs with 109 RBIs and a 180 wRC+, making him 80% better than the league average hitter. This season? Still great — just not otherworldly. Through 16 games, he’s slashing .250/.400/.429 with two homers, six RBIs, an elite 20% walk rate, and a 138 wRC+.
Pete Alonso Isn’t Exactly a Slouch
To be fair, the hitter directly behind him now — Pete Alonso — has been red-hot to start the year. The 30-year-old slugger is crushing the ball and batting close to .400, giving the Mets a dangerous one-two punch in the middle of their order.
So when Soto’s comments started making the rounds, Aaron Judge kept it classy but made his point clear.
“I’m not really going to go back and forth with this,” Judge said, via SNY’s Andy Martino. “He’s got probably one of the best hitters in the game behind him right now in what Alonso is doing. It has been fun to watch. He’s hitting close to .400. He’s driving the ball all over the field, driving guys in. So they’re gonna be good.”
It wasn’t shade — just a reminder that Soto’s protection is still very real, even if it doesn’t come in pinstripes.
New Role, New Pressure
There’s also something more subtle happening in Soto’s world. In the Bronx, he wasn’t the unquestioned leader of the lineup — Judge was the face, the voice, the weight-bearer. Now, in Queens, Soto is the guy. The pressure is higher. The expectations are heavier. And every quote carries a little more weight.
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That’s part of being a superstar in New York — especially when you change boroughs and come with a monster contract. Soto’s not wrong about the change in approach he’s seeing from pitchers, but as he adapts to this new role, every word will be under the microscope — even when it’s not intended to stir the pot.
The talent is still there. The numbers will come. But there’s no question: life without Judge in the rearview mirror comes with fewer strikes, and maybe, a few more headlines.