Is Juan Soto Turning Into the Mets’ Next Bobby Bonilla?
When Bobby Bonilla signed with the Mets before the 1992 season, his five-year, $29 million deal briefly made him the highest-paid player in baseball. Expectations were sky-high, yet Bonilla’s performance and conduct quickly soured his New York homecoming. In his first year with the Mets, he managed just 19 home runs and 70 RBIs.
Worse, Bonilla developed a notorious reputation for clubhouse strife and poor rapport with fans and media. He even resorted to wearing earplugs during games to muffle the cascade of boos at Shea Stadium.
Tensions with the press boiled over when Bonilla infamously confronted a reporter in 1993, growling, “I’ll show you the Bronx” as a threat.
This toxic atmosphere made Bonilla a lightning rod for criticism; he was ultimately traded away in 1995. To this day, his Mets tenure is remembered as a misstep, punctuated by the ongoing “Bobby Bonilla Day” payments every July 1.
Fast forward to 2025, and Juan Soto arrived in Queens on a record 15-year, $765 million contract amid sky-high hopes. However, two months into his Mets tenure, fans and pundits are already getting flashbacks to one of the franchise’s most infamous big-money flops.
Juan Soto’s Struggles Are Piling Up Fast
Through 46 games, Soto’s hitting just .246 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs. But that’s not even the most alarming part. His bat speed is down, his power numbers have dipped, and his slugging percentage on fastballs is a career low. Last year, 68% of his swings hit 74+ mph. This year? Only 46%. That’s a red flag for a guy who just signed a 15-year, $765 million deal.
The biggest problem? His body language. His effort. Against the Red Sox, Soto watched what he thought was a homer bounce off the Green Monster; he barely made it to first. Manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t sugarcoat it. “With that wall right there, you’ve got to get out of the box.”
That came right after a similar moment vs. the Yankees. When reporters asked about the back-to-back lapses, Soto snapped, “I think I’ve been hustling pretty hard. If you see it today, you could tell.”
Mets Brass Concerned About Juan Soto’s Lack of Enthusiasm
It’s not just about effort on the diamond. Soto agreed to wear a mic during Sunday Night Baseball but then backed out. He’s reportedly tired of being asked why he picked the Mets over the Yankees and didn’t feel like doing interviews. After a rough loss to Boston, he told reporters he’d talk, then dipped from the clubhouse without saying a word.
Sound familiar? It should. Bobby Bonilla did all of this in the ’90s. Underperformed, clashed with media, refused to run, and tuned out the boos. Bonilla became a cautionary tale in Queens. Now, some fans fear they’re watching a reboot, just with a bigger contract.
Veteran writer Bob Klapisch says Mets brass is already “concerned about Soto’s lack of enthusiasm.” That’s not something you want to hear in May, let alone the first year of a 15-year deal.
Nobody’s writing off Soto’s career. He’s 26. He’s got the talent to turn it around in a heartbeat. But when the effort dips, the attitude shifts, and the media runs for blood, things get ugly fast in New York.
For now, the Mets are trying to keep it calm. But fans have seen this movie before. And if Juan Soto doesn’t flip the script soon, his Queens debut might start looking a lot like a Bobby Bonilla sequel, and nobody wants to pay for that rerun.
Also Read: Why Phillies Pitcher Jose Alvarado Got Suspended?
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