NEW YORK (Reuters) – Juan Soto hit a home run in his first at-bat with the Mets on Saturday, wasting no time making an impact in the team’s first Spring Training game of the year as New York beat the Houston Astros 6-2. The biggest prize of the Major League Baseball off season, Soto signed […]
Sports
Baseball-Soto homers in first at-bat as a Met
Audio By Carbonatix
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Juan Soto hit a home run in his first at-bat with the Mets on Saturday, wasting no time making an impact in the team’s first Spring Training game of the year as New York beat the Houston Astros 6-2.
The biggest prize of the Major League Baseball off season, Soto signed with the Mets for a reported record 15-year, $765-million contract in December after a blockbuster 2024 season with cross-town rivals Yankees.
Batting second behind shortstop Francisco Lindor, who popped out, the prolific four-time All-Star whacked one 426 feet to left center field at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Soto batted in another run in the second inning, along with Lindor and catcher Francisco Alvarez, to put the game out of reach.
“It feels pretty good. It means everything that we’ve been doing is paying off,” Soto told reporters. “We’ve been working really hard this off season to be ready.”
The Mets will open the regular season on the road against the Astros on March 27, with their home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays set for April 4.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; editing by Clare Fallon)