MLB insider explains how Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor at the top of Mets lineup creates a major threat

The New York Mets are expected to be an offensive powerhouse next season with Juan Soto batting behind Francisco Lindor in their lineup. Meanwhile, the Mets have also reached an agreement with Pete Alonso to bring the slugger back to the clubhouse while Mark Vientos is coming off a breakthrough campaign in 2024.

MLB insider Joe Sherman predicts the New York Mets will have a massive surge in their run production due to the presence of Juan Soto. Sherman pointed out that the New York Yankees had experienced the same last season even though they did not have a long lineup. He feels the lefty slugger will turn the Mets into one of the top run scorers with Francisco Lindor batting in the leadoff spot.

Joel Sherman is a writer for the New York Post. He is also the co-host of The Show, a baseball podcast from the NY Post, alongside his colleague Jon Heyman. The pair discussed the Mets offense during the program on Tuesday. [2:33 - 7:37]

"The Yankees did not have a terrifically long lineup last year, and yet they were among the leaders in run scoring per game. That had a lot to do with Judge, but so much to do with Soto," Sherman said. "He just does not have bad at-bats.

"Him and Lindor are going to begin a game. We saw what Lindor looked like for the first five months and then the postseason. Try to get those guys out 10 times in a game. You're going to see them 10 times," Sherman added. "There is a possibility of this team rising to the top three or four runs per game in the National League."

Lindor finished as the runner-up for the National League MVP last season, while Soto was third in the MVP race for the American League.

If you're going to strike Juan Soto out you've got to throw a great pitch: Joel Sherman

Juan Soto had a historic campaign for the Yankees last year with Aaron Judge (Image Source: IMAGN)

Joel Sherman laid lofty praise upon Juan Soto for the quality of his at-bats on The Show this Friday. He feels that pitchers are left with very little room for error when Soto is inside the batter's box.

"I probably saw 80%, 85%, 90% of Soto's at-bats last year. I could probably count on one or two hands how many bad at-bats he had," Sherman said. "If you're going to strike him out, you've got to throw a great pitch with two strikes. If you throw it on the first strike, he smiles, shakes his head, and puts it in his computer, and if you try it again, he usually does damage to it."

Juan Soto batted .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 178, while he also led the AL with 123 runs scored.