PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Both Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor downplayed the idea of issues within the Mets clubhouse on Sunday, dismissing a narrative arc that has lingered since the dying days of last season.
“We’ve always pulled for each other,” Lindor said after returning to camp following left hand surgery. “We’ve always wanted what’s best for each other. Are we all best friends? That’s not how it works in the clubhouse. But we are friends. We’re good teammates. We care for each other. We love each other, and we want the best for each other.
“We have a lot of new faces here, guys that seem like they’re going to work hard and they’re going to do whatever it takes to win. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to -- it’s all about winning and everybody pulling in the same direction.”
Soto was less effusive, saying simply that he hopes to turn the page from 2025.
“That’s in the past,” Soto said of any lingering clubhouse issues. “We forget about it. We focus on 2026.”
While no one in a Mets uniform has publicly called last year’s clubhouse a problem, some have bemoaned the lack of camaraderie that existed in 2024. Speaking on “The Michael Kay Show” earlier this month, manager Carlos Mendoza called it more of “a corporate clubhouse,” adding: “Not that guys didn’t like each other -- they respected each other, they got along.”
After coming within two wins of the World Series in 2024, the Mets fell to 83-79 last year, missing the playoffs on the final day of the season.
New York’s leadership picture has transformed during that timeframe, with Soto entering the picture and Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte all departing. Many around the Mets have long viewed Lindor as their de facto captain, though Soto was quoted in the New York Post last year describing Marte as a captain figure.
Asked specifically on Sunday about his relationship with Lindor, Soto replied: “I think it’s a great relationship. We talk all the time in the game and everything, and we help each other.”
It was a far briefer answer than he gave to an array of other questions, but it spoke to Soto’s desire to “have fun, forget about the drama and everything, focus on the game and win some ballgames.” Both he and Lindor are under contract together through 2031, giving them another half decade to jell as teammates.
“The way I feel is there’s always more I can do,” Lindor said. “Yeah, it has to happen organically, in a way. But at the end of the day, I’ve just got to be a better player, a better teammate, and better overall to help this team. The goal is winning, and we haven’t done that. I haven’t done that here. So it comes down to being better. And honestly, quite frankly, that’s kind of how I live my life -- just trying to be the best version of myself day in and day out. What am I going to do next? Just let it happen. But I’ve got to do whatever it takes to win.”