Soto's first big moment doesn't go Mets' way: 'It just happens'

HOUSTON -- When the Mets signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract this winter, handing him by far the largest deal in Major League history, plenty of folks envisioned precisely the sort of scene that unfolded in the ninth inning on Opening Day: Soto at the plate, a big game on the line.

Throughout Thursday afternoon’s 3-1 loss at Daikin Park, the Mets -- everyone but Soto, really -- found it difficult to reach base. Astros starter Framber Valdez was excellent, Mets starter Clay Holmes less so, resulting in a three-run Houston advantage heading to the ninth. The Astros turned from there to Josh Hader, their five-time All-Star closer.

Suddenly, the Mets had a chance to steal the game, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a 12-pitch Luisangel Acu?a walk, which all but guaranteed Soto another turn at bat. With one out, Francisco Lindor hit a sacrifice fly to make it a two-run game, bringing Soto to the plate as the potential go-ahead run.

Already having reached base three times, Soto took three consecutive balls to open his final plate appearance, content to take a walk if necessary. But Hader bulled his way back into the count with a 3-0 slider down the middle, which Soto took, and a fastball near the top of the zone, which he fouled away.

With the count full, Soto expected Hader to go back to what he considers the closer’s best pitch -- his power sinker. Instead, Hader threw another slider well off the plate, eliciting a lackluster wave of the bat from Soto.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Soto said. “It just happens.”

Sometimes, the script needs a little more time for development.

A more poetic ending would have seen Soto, the centerpiece of one of the most expensive rosters ever assembled, vindicating owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns’ faith in him. Heading into Opening Day, Soto was one of the main characters of the new Major League Baseball season, a star as popular as anyone this side of Shohei Ohtani. The entire game had been building to his at-bat in the ninth. When he strode to the plate, anyone not watching would have been incentivized to lunge for the remote.

“I think everybody was like, ‘Man, let’s get Juan up and see what happens,’” Holmes said. “And we were able to do it.”

But that’s the thing about baseball -- not every poetic moment ends with a proper rhyme. Even last year, in one of the most successful offensive seasons of any Major Leaguer this century, Soto failed plenty. Popular clichés are built on that concept.

If Soto could have picked a moment to succeed, it certainly would have been in the ninth off Hader. Everyone wants to make a solid first impression, not least of all those with enormous contracts and outsized expectations. In this instance, it just didn’t happen.

“Of course as a competitor, he always wants to come through,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

“I was expecting to win the game,” Soto added. “It’s not how we wanted it.”

For Soto, plenty more opportunities will present themselves over the next 161 games (not to mention the 14 years to follow). Given his track record, Soto figures to succeed as often as just about any other player in the sport.

In the meantime, perhaps a little early adversity isn’t such a bad thing for the Mets. Last year, they famously lost their first five games -- and nearly a sixth -- before rallying to one of the most uplifting seasons in franchise history. Thursday’s loss marked the first time the Mets have dropped back-to-back Opening Days since 1999-2000 … which also happens to be the only time they’ve qualified for the National League Division Series in consecutive seasons.

These Mets have as good a chance as any in recent memory to accomplish that sort of thing and more. One Soto strikeout isn’t going to change their trajectory, just like one Opening Day loss won’t dampen the expectations of this season.

“We were right there, close,” Holmes said. “At the end of the day, if we’ve got Juan up with a chance to win the game, anybody likes those chances.”