Making history is not new for Juan Soto – but this type of story is certainly.
In August, the Slugger of the Mets struck 10 circuits, stole 11 bases and walked 27 times in 28 games.
This made Soto the first player in the history of the MLB to record at least 10 circuits, 10 interceptions and 25 steps in a month, according to OPTA statistics.
It is a remarkable feat in its own right, but it becomes even more incredible if you consider the stolen bases has never been an important part of Soto’s game before this season.
Soto has a career summit of 26 interceptions this year, which more than doubled his best of 12, which he set in 2019 and equaled in 2023.
When he was expelled during the 10-8 Monday afternoon victory against the Detroit Tigers at Comica Park, it was only the second time all season that Soto had been surprised in the process of stealing.
His September is also solid, while Soto struck a big slam and a triple of two points during the victory on Monday and finished 2 for 3 with two balls on balls and six points produced.
“It’s a show,” said manager Carlos Mendoza after Monday’s match. “Whenever he’s marble, you want to watch him. It’s quite special and I’m glad he’s in our team.”
It was a year of roller coaster for Soto in the first season of his record contract of $ 765 million, but his global statistics are once again excellent.
Soto strikes .257 with 36 circuits, 90 RBI, a .915 ops, an MLB-Best 113 walks and these 26 bases stolen in 28 attempts.
He is the fourth player in the history of the MLB to record at least 35 circuits, 25 interceptions and 110 steps in one season, according to the Guru of the Stat MLB.com Sarah Langs, and the first since 1999.
Barry Bonds totaled these figures four times (1993 and 1996-98), while Jeff Bagwell did twice (1997 and 1999) and Chipper Jones did in 1999.
“This allows me to do damage, help the team,” Soto, 26, told Sny how he saw the ball right now. “If it’s been a walk or all kinds that I can do it, it really feels good.”
This is Soto’s third season with at least 35 circuits and its fifth with at least 110 steps.
His year was unusual in the sense that Soto had an OPS of 1.196 in June – when he was the player of the month of the National League – and 1.009 in August, but in each of the other three months, his OPs were less than 0.800.
A slow start has contributed to Soto to be left from the NL star team in a surprising snob.
However, Soto is in rhythm of 42 circuits, which would break the summit in the career of 41 which he set last season with the Yankees.
And he managed to incorporate the basic element despite a sprint speed that ranks in the 15th final centile of the MLB players, according to learned baseball.
The 2.0 BSR of Soto – A Fangraphs’ Global Baserunning Metric – is also the best career. Soto had a -3.9 BSR last year and had not posted a positive since 2019.
“I know it was something that [Soto has been working on] From the start with Antoan, “said Mendoza in May, referring to the coach of the first base Antoan Richardson.
“Become a better base in the whole. Not necessarily a basic thief, but a Baserunner, and we have sometimes seen it.”
