Juan Soto Says He's 'Been Hustling Pretty Hard' Despite Mets Manager's Comments

New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto addressed comments from manager Carlos Mendoza regarding his effort on the basepaths in their Monday 3-1 loss against the Boston Red Sox.

The criticism came after Soto hit a ball off the Green Monster at Fenway Park but settled for a single after not hustling out of the box.

"I think I've been hustling pretty hard. If you see it today, you could tell," Soto told reporters after the game.

Mendoza had said that they will "discuss" his hustle after the single.

"He thought he had it. In this ballpark with that wall right there, you gotta get out of the box. We'll discuss that," Mendoza said.

Historically, a well-hit ball off the Green Monster at Fenway Park results in at least a double — something Soto failed to secure, settling for a single and drawing criticism for his lack of hustle.

Instead, Soto appeared to admire the hit, thinking it was headed out of the park, which ultimately cost him the chance at extra bases.

Soto went 1-for-4 at the plate, bringing his batting average to .246 in their loss to the Red Sox.

The scrutiny comes on the heels of similar backlash from the Mets’ 8-2 loss to the Yankees on Sunday. Soto again faced questions about his effort on the basepaths after grounding out to lead off the eighth inning. In that play, Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu made a sliding backhand grab and threw from his knees to get Soto out, sparking debate over whether Soto could have beaten the throw with more urgency.

In his first season with the Mets, Soto is enduring one of the worst campaigns. He has posted a .246 batting average — tied for the second-lowest of his career — and a .376 on-base percentage, the lowest he's recorded to date.