Pedro Martínez Defends Juan Soto Against Criticism
Amidst the criticism directed at Juan Soto regarding his performance on the field, Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez came to the defense of the Dominican player.
Martínez expressed his support via his X account and during an appearance on the program Leadoff on MLB Network.
“Once I was the highest-paid player, and it took me a while to adapt,” Martínez expressed. “Nobody stops to think about the human being inside the uniform. There are things that can distract you. We forget how young he is.”
Pedro Martínez
Martínez’s statements arise after some controversial plays by Soto.
On Sunday, Soto was out at first base after running slowly following a ground ball to center field. On Monday, after hitting a ball he thought was a home run, he stopped before running, which resulted in a double play, although he later managed to steal second base.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his concern about it.
“We’re going to talk to him about that. Juan thought he had it out, but in this stadium —with that wall so close— you have to run hard from the first step.”
Carlos Mendoza
Soto, who is in his first season with the Mets with a 15-year, $765 million contract, has an offensive line of .246/.376/.439, with eight home runs and six stolen bases. His current on-base, slugging, and OPS percentages are the lowest of his career.
Questioned by the press about whether he should improve his intensity on the field, Soto replied: “I think I have been playing with quite a bit of intensity. If you saw today’s game, you realized it”.
