Juan Soto saves Mets from no-hitter but still hears boos

Juan Soto heard some boos after one defensive misplay on Wednesday, and several more following a couple of failed at-bats as his and his team’s recent offensive slumps continued. 

The $765 million slugger at least spared the Mets the embarrassment and ignominy of having a no-hitter thrown against them, however, with a solo home run with one out in the ninth inning of a series-sweeping 4-1 loss to Gavin Williams and the Guardians. 

“I wasn’t thinking about the no-hitter,” Soto said after the game. “I was working on my swing, trying to do the same thing I was doing since the first inning. I just came through.” 

Soto hadn’t delivered much at the plate since the All-Star break, entering that at-bat hitting .164 with an OPS under .600 over 17 games. 

Soto’s blast, which barely eluded the glove of leaping Cleveland center fielder Angel Martínez, also represented the first hit for the Mets since the fourth inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Guardians. 

“It’s always tough. I feel really bad, especially for the starters, they have been doing a really good job and we just haven’t been able to give them some run support,” Soto said. “It’s frustrating for the offense and it’s frustrating for the starters.. But we just gotta figure out a way.” 

That needs to come quickly for the Mets, who have dropped eight of their past nine games entering a weekend series in Milwaukee against the NL Central-leading Brewers. 

“We have to be better. As a group we have to come through,” Soto said. “It’s not going to be easy. It’s a challenge, but we have to go out there and take it. 

“Nobody’s gonna bring a trophy over here and give it to us. We gotta go out there and take it.” 

Soto also heard boos in the sixth after he misplayed a ball over his head in right field into a run-scoring triple by Gabriel Arias. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he was OK with how Soto went after that ball. 

“Yeah, it went over his head, and it bounced away from him, so yeah, no issues there,” Mendoza said. 

Asked if he believes Soto’s late home run can be a turning point offensively for the four-time All-Star, Mendoza added, “I think I said it before the game, the past couple of games there’s been signs there that he’s more balanced, he’s connected, he’s short to the ball. And we know when you see that right there … I think he’s getting close.”