Juan Soto has silenced his haters — at least for now — after an elite stretch at the plate in June.
The noise around Soto had been building after a slow two months where he slashed just .231/.357/.413 (batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage) to start the season. It was expected. When you sign a historic 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets, every slump gets magnified. But that’s quickly changing.
Ben Verlander Fires Back at Juan Soto’s Critics After Elite June
MLB analyst and “Flippin’ Bats” host Ben Verlander took to X to call out Soto’s early-season doubters following his red-hot month.
“I feel it’s important to put this out there because people love to overreact, then go silent when they’re wrong,” Verlander posted.
He came with receipts. In 26 games during June, Soto was among the most dangerous hitters in baseball (after Mets’ June 28 game vs. the Philadelphia Phillies):
- .322 batting average
- .478 on-base percentage
- .736 slugging percentage
- 1.214 OPS
- 11 home runs, 20 RBIs, 25 runs scored, and 18 walks
That production gives him one of the highest wRC+ ratings (230) in MLB for the month, not only among outfielders but all positions.
I feel it’s important to put this out there because people love to overreact then go silent when they’re wrong.
Juan Soto in June:
.325 AVG
.485 OBP
.753 SLG
236 wRC+ (Leads ALL MLB OF) pic.twitter.com/IyJZOr2UK4— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) June 26, 2025
Soto’s performances weren’t just elite, they also made Mets history. He became the first Met since David Wright in August 2007 to tally 25 hits and 25 runs in a single calendar month.
Even more rare, Soto joined Darryl Strawberry (May 1987) as the only two players in Mets history to record more than 10 home runs and over 20+ walks in the same month.
What Does Soto’s June Mean for the New York Mets?
Soto’s June performances weren’t just a personal statement but a much-needed reaffirmation for the Mets, who faced questions about their massive investment in the outfielder after his shaky start to the season.
But while Soto delivered with the bat in June, it did not translate into wins for the team.
Despite his elite production at the plate, the Mets have dropped 12 of their last 15 games. In the current series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, they’ve been outscored 18-3 in back-to-back losses.
The Mets have lost the first two games of their series against the Pirates by a combined score of 18-3 (9-1, 9-2)
Pittsburgh is a bottom-two team in nearly every offensive category pic.twitter.com/0e1VlWZ5dS
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 29, 2025
This frustration postgame led to the Mets having a players-only team meeting in the clubhouse, as Mike Puma of the New York Post reported. The last time they had such a meeting on May 29, 2024, the Mets made a turnaround in their campaign that took them to Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.
That said, despite their recent slide, the Mets remain second in the NL East, just 0.5 games behind the Phillies. If Soto can continue his form through the second half of the season, the Mets will become serious contenders again.