While it's true that New York Mets star Juan Soto may have to change his approach, he believes his team is capable of winning it all. And his overall attitude and approach are among the reasons Soto will upset Shohei Ohtani in the 2026 NL MVP race.
Certainly, Ohtani has a huge advantage out of the gates against Soto. Pitching every sixth day or so gives Ohtani a profile that makes him look like an MVP.
And while Ohtani still seems to be firmly entrenched in his prime, there’s no guarantee this year will look exactly like 2025 for him. At least the door is cracked open for Soto.
Mets’ Juan Soto believes this will be his year
Soto seems to be taking it personally. But that’s a good thing in the MVP race. If Soto gets there, that means the Mets are a serious threat to the Dodgers in the postseason.
Soto issued a challenge, of sorts, to Ohtani, according to MLB.com.
“I’m going to be there every year, too,” Soto said, referring to both players being under guaranteed contracts through 2033. “So he better keep doing what he’s doing, because I’m coming.
“He’s really good. He’s really good. I’ve just got to beat him. Definitely, it’s not going to be easy, but I’ve got to find a way to beat him.”
Helping to trim the pitching gap, Soto stole a career-high 38 bases in 2025. It was intentional, he said.
“I feel like everybody tries to do better than what they did before,” Soto said. “I would definitely love to be better around the bases and better around the outfield. Even hitting, I try to keep my hitting increased. Thank God I’ve been doing well the past couple seasons. I’ve been putting numbers up there, career highs and stuff like that. So I just want to keep doing the same thing. I try to be better year after year.”
What will Juan Soto do without Pete Alonso’s lineup protection?
It’s going to be different this year. Soto knows pitchers will look at him differently without Alonso in the lineup. Soto acknowledged the challenge, according to MLB Network via Sports Illustrated.
“You know, Pete was great for the team. He was great in the clubhouse, and outside of the clubhouse, he was a great leader,” Soto said. “But you've got to move on. You've got to move on, and what we do here is, we are the same, we are equal.
“Everybody in the room has a voice, everybody feels good, everybody feels comfortable. And just have fun. And don't worry about [anything]. The vibes are always gonna be there if you have fun. Every day you bring a smile, you bring the good energy. Everything is going to go in the right way.”
Batting behind Soto in 2026 will be Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco. Neither player presents the power threat offered by Alonso. However, Bichette drove in 94 runs last season. That could make pitchers think twice about giving Soto a free pass in critical situations, especially when pitching with a lead.
On-base percentage is Soto’s thing. And the question is whether he would have to give up a bit of that in order be more aggressive and provide more power.
But Soto has been that consistent guy, according to MLB.com.
“This would be his sixth season with at least 25 homers and 115 walks,” Sarah Langs wrote. “His five such seasons already are tied with Jim Thome and Lou Gehrig for fourth most in a career, behind only Barry Bonds (13 seasons), Babe Ruth (10) and (Ted) Williams (nine).
“Soto’s active streak of five consecutive seasons played with those totals is tied for second longest, with Bonds from 2000-04, behind Williams’ six from 1941-42 and 1946-49 (military service 1943-45).”
What help does Juan Soto need?
The Mets’ pitching staff will need to hold. Adding Freddy Peralta makes a difference, but some prove-it pitchers are rounding out the rotation.
If the Mets’ starters can’t make the grade and the team doesn’t reach the playoffs, Soto’s MVP hopes would tank. That’s because his best path to the award is leading the team to the NL East title.
Anything less makes it too easy for Ohtani.
