New York Mets fans have all but lost it with Juan Soto. After he struck out in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game, they made sure that the star outfielder knew how they felt about how he's performed thus far.
The boos were audible and very noticeable. This isn't the first time Mets fans have booed Soto, but it does feel like these were the loudest they've been. And it's not hard to understand why: Soto entered the day slashing .228/.355/.401 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. He's 0-for-2 on Wednesday as of this writing, so his numbers only look worse.
It's been a frustrating start to what all sides hope will be a fruitful 15-year marriage, and Mets fans risk potentially turning into what they hope are short-term struggles into something much worse.
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Mets fans just did the last thing they should do with Juan Soto
I get it. I'm a Mets fan. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with how Soto has done in his first two months with the franchise. Still, what does booing accomplish? That's something I need to know the answer to.
Do Mets fans seriously think Soto has no idea that he's struggling? Do Mets fans seriously think booing him will make him suddenly get going at the plate? I'd argue that booing him will only make the situation worse.
We've seen this situation to a tee before. Francisco Lindor struggled mightily to begin his Mets tenure. Mets fans resorted to booing him, and his struggles persisted. Later in that 2021 season, the entire Mets team struggled, leading to the fans booing them at Citi Field. In response, when they did something good, Mets players wound up celebrating with their thumbs down aimed at the fans. They were fed up with the boos, and rightfully so.
I'm sure Soto won't go as far as to flash a thumbs down gesture to the fans, but the boos will almost certainly add to his already existing frustration. Again, do Mets fans think he wants to play poorly? Booing him will only make him press further, and in turn, likely struggle even more.
I'm not in the business of telling fans how to fan. The fans who pay to attend the games in person have the right to boo if they want to boo, as long as it's kept clean. I will say booing your favorite team does not accomplish anything. If anything, it only makes the situation worse. I mean, there's a reason why opposing players are booed.
Lindor has played his best baseball as a Met ever since Mets fans truly embraced him and cut the booing. It wouldn't be shocking to see something similar happen with Soto.
Supporting struggling players might not be easy, but making them feel worse about themselves isn't going to magically fix the issue. Hopefully, Mets fans support Soto, even when he strikes out, instead of resorting to boos. The boos will only make these struggles worse.