Juan Soto Says He Needs 'A Little More Time' Before Fully Settling in With Mets

There always figured to be something of an adjustment period for Juan Soto after he signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets this offseason, and he suggested as much ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I still need a little more time, but little by little it's been getting better," he told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. "I've been feeling more comfortable."

The 26-year-old is among the best players in the league with a resume that includes a World Series title, a batting title, five Silver Slugger awards and four All-Star Game nods. He figured to anchor New York's lineup throughout the campaign as a formidable one-two punch alongside Pete Alonso.

Soto is slashing .229/.367/.430 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI through 62 games. The power has been there at times, but the numbers are a far cry from last season when he slashed .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI for the New York Yankees.

"Beyond the production, Soto's demeanor over the season's first two months was notably different from his usual comportment," Castillo wrote. "He has drawn external criticism more than once for a lack of hustle, and his trademark flair in the batter's box has rarely been on display. His interactions with teammates have been dissected and analyzed. His body language has been placed under a microscope. He's heard boos. The noise has been constant."

Soto was always going to be under that microscope given the contract, especially playing for a major-market team like the Mets.

His track record speaks for itself and suggests he will turn things around at some point during his first season with the National League East team.

His early struggles also haven't stopped the Mets from winning, as they are in first place in the division at 39-24. That is welcome news for Soto, as he will have plenty of opportunities to perform in more pressure-packed moments than he has through the first two months of the campaign as the season and playoff race continue.

And how he performs in those moments and October is how he will be ultimately remembered by Mets fans.