‘Something’s up’ with Juan Soto as Mets star’s struggles mount: Adam Ottavino

The narrative around Juan Sotos happiness in Queens doesnt appear to be going away anytime soon, and its becoming harder to ignore, according to a former Mets and Yankees reliever.

Adam Ottavino seemed to be joining the likes of Michael Kay and NJ.coms Bob Klapisch in raising a red flag that somethings up with Soto.

The Mets superstar, who inked a historic 15-year, $765 million deal in December, has faced increased speculation that he is unhappy with the Mets following a forgetful return to The Bronx over the weekend, and a series of instances where didnt seem to be hustling out to of the batters box .

I mean, you gotta bust it, Ottavino said on MLB Network on Tuesday.

I think that goes without saying, especially, youre trying to set the tone for the team.

Youre considered a team leader when youre making that kind of money and youre that kind of player.

And the reality is, I remember going to a Knicks game when I was a kid to watch Michael Jordan play.

And I didnt watch the game.

I watched Michael Jordan the entire time.

The eyeballs are similar on Juan Soto right now.

People are going to the games, people are on TV, theyre watching him at all times.

Hes got no breathing room to slack off at all.

Nor should he? But hes learned that lesson the hard way right now.

Ottavino, who pitched for the Yankees in 2019 and 2020 with a brief second stint in The Bronx this year, and was with the Mets from 2022-24, then delved into the perception about Sotos happiness with the Mets.

I resisted this narrative for a while, but the body language doctor and what Ive been checking out, somethings up a little bit.

Somethings up.

His spirits not quite the same right now, Ottavino said.

Sotos hustle has become a topic of conversation, with the Mets own TV broadcast team calling it out during Mondays loss to the Red Sox.

Soto told reporters after the game he had been hustling very hard, however, manager Carlos Mendoza seemed to contradict that during his postgame press conference.

Well talk to him about it, Mendoza said.

Tonight, obviously, when someone gets a hold of [a pitch] and knows when he gets it, its Juan.

He thought he had it, but with the wind ...

but in this ballpark and anywhere in particular, with that wall right there, you have got to get out of the box.

So, yeah, well discuss that..

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