Mets move Soto to leadoff spot for just 3rd time in career
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The 12-22 Mets need a spark. Manager Carlos Mendoza’s next attempt to find one comes in the form of an unusual lineup construction.
Juan Soto will bat leadoff for New York in Monday's 5:40 p.m. ET series opener at the Rockies. It will mark just the third time in the superstar outfielder’s career that he’s batted in the top spot, with the other two coming while he was with the Nationals in 2018 and 2021. Soto had hit No. 2 in every other game he'd appeared in this season.
Carrying a .314/.415/.500 slash line with three home runs, Soto -- playing left field Monday -- has been one of the very few bright spots for a New York offense that is dead last in the Majors with a .633 OPS. Soto also has a robust history in 24 games at Coors Field, boasting a 182 wRC+ on eight homers and four doubles.
The Mets will try to get rolling at altitude against Rockies righty Tomoyuki Sugano (3-1, 2.84 ERA). Here’s how the rest of the Mets lineup looks:
- LF Juan Soto
- SS Bo Bichette
- RF MJ Melendez
- 1B Mark Vientos
- 3B Brett Baty
- 2B Marcus Semien
- CF Carson Benge
- DH Francisco Alvarez
- C Luis Torrens