Mets outfielder Juan Soto will play left field this season. This change was announced by David Stearns, the team’s president of baseball operations. Soto was New York’s main right fielder last year and is in the second year of a massive $765 million contract.
Stearns cited comfort as a key reason for the move. Soto is also set to play left field for Team Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He has over 4,000 innings of experience in that position.
This shift will completely transform the Mets’ outfield in 2026. Soto will take over for Brandon Nimmo, who has been traded to the Rangers. Luis Robert Jr., acquired in a trade, will step into center field. Tyrone Taylor and Cedric Mullins had shared that role last year, but with Mullins signing with the Rays, Taylor might return to a fourth outfielder position. The Mets’ Jeff McNeil is now with the Athletics, and Starling Marte is currently a free agent.
Soto isn’t new to left field. He made his debut there with the Washington Nationals in 2018 and played the position through the shortened 2020 season. After moving to right field in 2021, he split time between the Nationals and Padres before returning to right field in New York.
However, his defensive stats haven’t been stellar. He holds a career Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) of -14 in left field and -5 in right. Despite having two solid defensive seasons, including ranking high in DRS and Outs Above Average in 2019 and 2021, Soto struggled last season. He ranked in the first percentile for Outs Above Average with a -15 rating.
Moving Soto to left field doesn’t indicate a permanent solution for right field. Taylor has shown strong defensive skills at all outfield positions. The Mets also recently signed MJ Melendez, who has performed well in both corner outfield spots. Meanwhile, their top prospect Carson Benge has experience across all outfield positions but mainly plays center field.
In a broader context, the shift in Major League Baseball (MLB) shows how teams are adapting to player skills and comfort levels. Adaptive strategies like these can be crucial for team performance. With player movement and role changes, fans are curious about how the Mets will fare this season.
For further insights, Jorge Castillo from ESPN and Joel Sherman of the New York Post have discussed this recent position change and its implications on social media.
More on MLB team strategies here.
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