Juan Soto Says He's 'Comfortable' Batting 3rd in Mets Lineup, 'Already Used To It'

New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto is settling in just fine after a recent lineup adjustment moved him from the second spot to batting third.

“I don’t mind,” Soto told reporters before Friday’s game. “I think I’m already used to it. I don’t mind hitting second or third. I feel comfortable in either spot.”

The change came after the Mets dropped both games of a doubleheader, with struggles from the bottom half of the order prompting manager Carlos Mendoza to consider a shake-up. He approached Soto with the idea—and got no pushback.

“Whenever you want to do it,” Soto told Mendoza. “Let’s do it.”

Following back-to-back losses to the Boston Red Sox, the decision was made official: Soto would hit third and Pete Alonso would slide into the cleanup spot. The result? A 5-1 bounce-back win over Boston on Wednesday.

“Making changes is just different,” Soto continued. “When I came up to the league—my whole life, from the minor leagues to the big leagues—I always hit in the third or fourth hole. And then I spent four more years in the big leagues hitting in the third or fourth hole.”

Soto, who had previously expressed frustration during his time with the Washington Nationals over being moved out of the No. 3 spot, now appears to have embraced the flexibility. According to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal, he believes the spot in the lineup matters less to him now.

The Mets are hoping this new-look order brings much-needed consistency after the team's Big Three—Soto, Alonso and Francisco Lindor—had been scuffling at the plate. And with Soto embracing the third spot, he looks poised to anchor the heart of the lineup.