Juan Soto Launches 426-Foot Home Run in Epic Debut for the New York Mets!

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Juan Soto quickly made a splash with his new team, the New York Mets, by homering in his very first spring training at-bat. He hit a solo homer to left-center against Houston in the first inning, helping the Mets secure a 6-2 victory.

“Everyone seemed really happy. The funniest reaction was from Jesse Winker. I accidentally stepped on him, and while he was in pain, he was still smiling,” Soto shared.

This isn’t Soto’s first time impressing in spring training. Last year, while playing for the New York Yankees, he also hit a home run in his first game—a three-run shot during a matchup with Toronto.

Over the winter, Soto signed a staggering 15-year contract worth $765 million, moving from the Yankees to the Mets. In the game against Houston, he batted second, right between Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. He launched a 426-foot home run on a 2-1 pitch from Colton Gordon and also drove in another run with a groundout, finishing his day with just those two plate appearances.

Soto has made a mark in spring training games, boasting a .304 batting average with 14 home runs and an impressive OPS of 1.017 over 87 games.

Meanwhile, Mets fans are also excited about Clay Holmes, a pitcher transitioning from the Yankees to the Mets. Holmes, who has primarily been a reliever, is now converting to a starter. In his first outing as a starter for the Mets, he threw 34 pitches and had a perfect three-inning performance, striking out three batters.