PORT ST. LUCIE — Love him or loathe him, you can’t miss Juan Soto’s at-bats. You can’t miss the theatrics of his at-bats, the infamous “Soto Shuffle” that inspired a song, and the gamebreaking home runs. “It’s good for us,” said Mets closer Edwin Diaz. “Because we don’t have to face him anymore.” That seems like an understatement. Soto has managed to become both loved and loathed in New York City. The right fielder shocked the world when he left the Yankees for the Mets in December, signing a 15-year, $765 million contract to become the richest player in the game. His decision changed baseball in a city where the sport has a rich history, with much of it authored by the Yankees. From Ruth, to Gehrig, to Mantle, to the dynasty days and the Core Four, the Yankees built a brand recognized around the world and a culture respected throughout professional sports. Soto appeared to fit neatly into all of that. Traded to the Bronx in his prime at 25, the Dominican was already one of the most revered hitters in the game, if not the most revered, and a World Series champ. A career 36.4 WAR player, the accolades are numerous. When Soto helped the Yankees return to the World Series for the first time since 2009, many thought he would want to return to finish what he started. But the Mets, under the direction of owners Steve and Alex Cohen, are rewriting their legacy. Cohen’s aggressive spending and investments into several facets of the club have attracted some of the top players in the game. It was only a matter of time before they landed one of the league’s premier players. “I’ve been watching this team, since 2018, and they’ve [had] a lot of up and downs,” Soto told the Daily News. “They’ve been though good things, bad things, all kinds of things, but I feel like Steve has been changing the culture in here and been doing a lot of good things for these players, for these coaches and for this whole organization. We’re in a good spot.” Soto lends them credibility, along with his power bat. “I think we’ve moved things along a lot, but I always believe in innovating,” Cohen during his spring training press conference. “I’m always trying to push it further, and that’s going to be the philosophy of the team. I mean, we’re going to try to make all aspects of the club the infrastructure elite. Those are my goals… “And I tend to have high goals.” The hedge fund billionaire has little patience for failure. Forced to learn some lessons the hard way during his first few years of ownership, Cohen saw the progress he wanted to see last year, when the Mets reached Game 6 of the NLCS. Now that he’s seen progress, the expectations have been raised. Soto was always part of Cohen’s plan. It was part of his sales pitch to president of baseball operations David Stearns, and part of his larger plan to turn the Mets into something far greater than just a plucky NL underdog squad. The timing of Soto becoming a free agent couldn’t have worked out better. The club is finally stable. Their young players got valuable experience playing in meaningful games last fall and an owner still willing to spend what it takes to win. The Mets’ projected payroll is $332 million, and Cohen has made it known that he’s comfortable increasing that number if it gets the team closer to a championship. The pitching and hitting labs are up and running in Port St. Lucie. The playoffs galvanized the Mets last year, bringing the team closer than ever. With many of the same players returning, the team is high on leadership and chemistry, intangibles that money can’t buy. “You see Soto joking around with everyone. You see a guy like Clay Holmes, who’s new to the team  and interacting and just feeling like they’ve been a part of this group for a long time,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “And that’s good to see. [It’s a] credit to the guys that we already have.” Soto saw this immediately. How could he not? The Yankees might have been the New York team playing in the World Series, but even then, they were overshadowed by the Mets. There were the silver medal jokes after the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the Yankees in five games, one fewer than it took for them to eliminate the Mets in the NLCS. There was Grimace and OMG, with Jose Iglesias singing his summer hit at Citi Field with the entire team dancing behind him. To Soto, a close-knit team is the mark of a winning team, and something that has helped ease his transition. “How they treat each other, and how they go about their business together, as a team and as a group, because it’s a team sport,” Soto said. “How do they stick together, how they [bring] everything together? I think that’s one of the biggest things that you look at.” The 2025 Mets are built on the depth of their lineup. Soto will hit second behind Francisco Lindor, who is coming off an MVP-caliber season. Pete Alonso will provide protection in the third spot. Mark Vientos earned a shot at hitting in the four spot after hitting 27 homers in a breakout 2024 campaign. Brandon Nimmo is penciled in to hit fifth, a left-handed hitter breaking up the righties. Health will make a difference, but there is a chance the Mets could have several 30-homer hitters this season. Right-hander Kodai Senga is healthy again. He might not be comfortable with the title of an ace just yet, but if he pitches the way he did in 2023 when he had a sub 3.00 ERA in 29 starts, he’ll have to accept it. Left-handers Sean Manaea and David Peterson were influential in getting the Mets to the postseason last year, and then getting them deep in it as well. Behind them is right-hander Clay Holmes, a former Yankees closer the Mets are converting to a starter. Diaz is feeling confident and healthy after two difficult seasons. Ryne Stanek brings velocity and competitive fire as the setup guy, and left-hander A.J. Minter high-leverage experience and playoff experience after spending the entirety of his eight-year career with the Atlanta Braves. There are some solid pitching pieces, but naturally, there are questions. Manaea is starting the season on the injured list, as is right-hander Frankie Montas. Holmes hasn’t started a game since 2018. Relievers Reed Garrett and Dedniel Nuñez came out of nowhere last season, but will they fall back to earth? The biggest question might be whether or not the Mets can handle prosperity, something they’ve failed to do in the past. They couldn’t in 2023 when they failed to follow up on a 101-win season. Last year, they proved doubters wrong at every turn, but now, the doubters are quiet and Mets have a target on their backs. However, with Soto on their side, prosperity is inherent. It’s the season of Soto, with the Mets finally poised to cement their status as contenders. ...read more read less