Nobody on the New York Mets is struggling more right now than the man they’re paying a jaw-dropping $765 million. Yes, we’re talking about Juan Soto, the superstar outfielder who was supposed to be the cornerstone of this franchise.

The Mets have stumbled out of the gate in the 2026 season, but with May in full swing, there’s still time to turn things around—if they act fast. The urgency is real, and the team needs a complete, collective effort to even dream of the postseason. But here’s the problem: their highest-paid player, the one expected to lead the charge, is actually dragging them down.

Since May 1st, Soto has been ice cold at the plate, posting a dismal .138 batting average over the first eight games of the month. His season average has plummeted from a stellar .344 to a flat .276. For a player earning more than three-quarters of a billion dollars, that’s not just a slump—it’s a crisis.

To be fair, Soto dealt with some early-season injuries, but he’s now fully healthy and back at 100%. There’s no excuse for manager Carlos Mendoza to not trust his biggest star. Yet, Soto hasn’t delivered. His struggles stand out because of his unmatched prominence in the lineup—when he fails, the entire team feels it.

Ironically, the Mets are actually playing decently well in May, posting a 5-3 record despite Soto’s woes. But that only highlights how much more dangerous they could be if their $765 million man starts earning his paycheck. For Mets fans, the hope is that Soto finds his groove soon—because if he does, this team could flip the script fast.

For now, though, the pressure is on. Soto needs to be the MVP-caliber player he was signed to be, or the Mets’ season might slip away before summer even arrives.