The fans’ hopes can turn any stadium into a cauldron — and in the Yankees’ home, it boils faster. One marquee name, one historic contract and suddenly every slump is a scandal. After a frustrating month, the noise only got louder. And one star now finds himself at the eye of a storm he did not create.

Juan Soto, after his average performance in May, made the critics restless. However, voices like Francisco Lindor and David Ortiz have walked in and are trying to anchor the ship. One provides internal support, the other provides a blunt perspective. Together, they are backing Soto amid the chaos and pushing back on the notion that greatness should be instant just because the contract is massive.

David Ortiz did not hesitate when addressing the media frenzy surrounding the star slugger Soto. Speaking on Dominican radio, the veteran said, “People think Juan Soto was paid to do what Barry Bonds did. No, people. Soto was paid to do what he always does: hit 30 homers, push 90-100 runs across, hit .280-.290, and have a great on-base percentage.” For instance, last year, Soto hit 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .288 showed an average elite on-base skills. However, in MLB, not every hit makes a splash.

Ortiz highlighted that Soto’s timing and demonstration is the perfect storm that navigated his deal to that sky-high, not necessarily making the Mets star the most complete individual in the league. “We are not talking about the best player in the big leagues,” Ortiz said. “He is a great player who, at the end of the season, will have the numbers he consistently has”, he added.

On the other hand, critics outside the clubhouse make noise, but Francisco Lindor is focused on unity. During batting practice, he offered a heartfelt message to the fans: “I encourage every fan to come out … and give (Soto) love. They have done that for me … continue to give him love, he deserves it.” That kind of locker-room support matters, particularly in a city where one bad stretch can turn into a hotspot of gossip.

Amid the support, David Samson, former Marlins president and current baseball truth-teller, came into the conversation with a brutal but honest take: “He will not be able to live up to that contract because it’s too much money to pay any baseball player.” No tiptoeing. Just a hard reality and fans do not always want to hear it. He is calling out hot takes less than three months into a 15-year commitment. His point? Everyone needs to chill. Yes, the slugger just hit .219 in May. Yes, he is also able to manage only 6 home runs in the month. And yes, “he is becoming a distraction,” as Samson directly said. But such massive deals are not designed for such microwave results. They are actually made for the long haul.

Even with the early setbacks, David Samson agrees: “He’s going to be exactly who he is over the course of the next decade.” That means star-level production, even if it does not come covered in nightly fireworks.

In the middle of all the backlash, Juan Soto showed the fans why he has gained such a lucrative contract in MLB history with a sky-rocking 404-foot home run that snapped a 17-game drought. The blast, launched in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 8-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, was not just the simple stats on the box score; it was a statement.

Soto’s eyes break out after the Rockies jolt as the Mets look ahead to the Dodgers

Building on his slow but visible progress, Soto has finally flipped the switch against Colorado. After enduring a power drought that dated back to May 9, the star erupted in the Rockies series with a 4-for-9 stretch, a double and three RBI. His eighth-inning blast Sunday—punctuated by a signature one-knee pose. It helped the team to seal a 5-3 win, enhancing the Mets to 37-22 and injecting power into the lineup, which is craving consistency. “Finally, I am getting some balls landing,” he said, highlighting that the rhythm could finally be returning.

The stats still tell the story of underperformance: .233/.363/.429 with a .792 OPS over 58 games, but the turning point arrived on Sunday. It was the first time Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso homered in the same game, a preview of the lineup’s explosive power. With a critical road series at Dodger Stadium underway, just as the Yankees stumbled in L.A., Soto has a new stage to perform to continue rewriting his season arc. The Mets already took two of three from the Dodgers in late May, and Soto’s comeback might be key to replicating that success. The hopes are massive, but so is the opportunity for him in front.

Soto’s season was not applauded in May, however, his resurgence against Colorado could be the spark the Mets needed, and the real test lies ahead in the home of the Dodgers. As expectations rise once again, Soto now has a scope to shift the spotlight—not with words, but with swings.

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