Soto finishes 3rd in NL MVP voting
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Juan Soto's debut season in Queens may not have gotten off to an ideal start, but it ultimately ended with the superstar finishing third in National League Most Valuable Player Award voting.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the results on Thursday night, with Dodgers two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani winning the NL MVP Award -- his third straight MVP and fourth overall -- in unanimous fashion. Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber finished second, with Soto, Geraldo Perdomo and Trea Turner rounding out the Top 5.
Soto was listed on all 30 ballots, including receiving four second-place votes. He received 15 third-place votes, plus was voted fourth on nine ballots and fifth on the remaining two ballots. Teammate Francisco Lindor was listed on 18 of 30 ballots -- including one fourth-place vote -- en route to finishing 10th in NL MVP voting.
For Soto, it's his second straight third-place finish after he also checked in third in AL MVP voting during his lone season across town with the Yankees last year. Though it's his fourth career Top 5 finish, he's still seeking his first MVP Award.
Given the way his first two months in a Mets uniform unfolded, it may have been hard to envision Soto putting together yet another MVP-caliber campaign.
After signing a massive 15-year, $765 million contract last December, Soto was hitting just .231 with a .770 OPS through the end of May. His .726 OPS from April 2-May 28 was his worst for any 50-game stretch in his eight-year career.
Soto, though, turned his season around during a June in which he hit .322 with 11 home runs, 20 RBIs and a 1.196 OPS in 27 games. From June 1 onward, Soto slashed .282/.417/.588 with 34 home runs in 103 games. His 1.005 OPS was the best in the National League during that span.
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Overall, Soto finished the season slashing .263/.396/.525 with 43 homers, 38 stolen bases, 105 RBIs and 127 walks. He led the NL in on-base percentage and walks and tied for the lead in steals. Soto also became the first player in Mets history with a 40-homer, 30-steal season.
Soto's third-place finish comes one year after Lindor finished as the NL MVP runner-up to Ohtani last season.
Despite the close calls, the Mets remain one of three franchises -- along with the Rays and D-backs -- that has never had a player take home MVP honors.