Juan Soto's fielding mishap turned a routine single into a Little League home run, playing a pivotal role in the New York Mets' 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night. The play occurred in the first inning as the Mets began a six-game road trip amidst a disappointing season.
The Mets, who entered the game with a 35-49 record, are experiencing one of the most surprising pre-All-Star-break performances in Major League Baseball, despite having the second-highest payroll in the league. The loss to Toronto followed the recent firing of manager Carlos Mendoza.
During the game, Toronto's George Springer hit a pitch from Mets starter Sean Manaea that appeared to be a straightforward single to left field. However, Soto misjudged the bounce of the ball, attempting to field it on a short hop. The ball instead went under his glove and rolled toward the left field fence. While Soto jogged to retrieve the ball, Springer accelerated around the bases. A subsequent less-than-clean field by rookie center fielder A.J. Ewing allowed Springer to be waved home, completing the Little League home run.
Errors have been a significant issue for the Mets this season, who rank third in MLB in errors, behind only the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants. This incident followed a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs where the Mets committed six infield errors.
Postgame, Soto explained his approach. "When you have an outfield like that, that it bounces a lot, you have to be aware because you can give up extra base hits really easy," he told reporters. "So, I would say you got to be aggressive – that was my mindset. Just be aggressive, come through the ball instead of playing it back and let it bounce over my head. But I actually just stopped."
The play and the subsequent loss further compounded the difficulties for the Mets and their fanbase as the team finds itself in a deep hole during the 2026 campaign.