Juan Soto’s first season with the New York Mets after signing a 15-year, $765 million deal during last year’s offseason did not go according to plan.
While Soto himself enjoyed a tremendous season, finishing with a .263 batting average, .396 on-base percentage, .921 OPS, 43 home runs and 105 RBIs across 160 games, the Mets missed out on the MLB playoffs.
As a result, president of baseball operations David Stearns tore down the roster, moving on from several familiar faces to retool the roster around Soto and shortstop Francisco Lindor.
New York remains active on the free agent market looking to add elite talent to the lineup and rotation, yet the club is also focused on internal growth from some of its younger talent, including former top prospect Luisangel Acuña.
Soto has publicly endorsed Acuña’s progress. Acuña has been sharpening his skills all winter long, looking to make the roster for the Mets in 2026 and earn a legitimate role by playing in the Venezuelan Winter League.
On Saturday, Acuña delivered an incredible performance for the Cardenales de Lara, blasting four home runs in a 21–9 victory.
Soto celebrated the feat on social media, reposting each of Acuña’s long balls to his Instagram story. For the fourth and final homer, Soto added a message, “Just in case you miss the other 3🔥🔥.”
The performance served as a reminder of the young talent the Mets hope to develop around Soto, even as the superstar himself prepares for another dominant campaign.
Soto’s focus will eventually shift back to the 2026 MLB season, where he will look to build off his excellent debut year in Queens.
Last season, the 26-year-old set a new standard for himself on the basepaths, becoming a legitimate base-stealing threat by swiping a National League-leading 38 bases.
He was also an on-base machine, collecting 127 walks to lead MLB and setting a franchise record for most free passes in a single season. Soto earned a Silver Slugger Award, the sixth of his career, along with a third-place finish in NL MVP voting.
With Soto anchoring the lineup and young talent like Acuña emerging, the Mets enter 2026 determined to transform last year’s disappointment into sustained success and a legitimate push toward October.