Outlook Juan Soto
Juan Soto is on an absolute power surge as the Mets head west for six games.
Juan Soto is on an absolute tear for the fourth-place Mets (26-33), slugging seven home runs with 15 RBIs and a blistering .375 average over his last 14 days. Slotted as the everyday left fielder, Soto's legendary eye and elite power are carrying a Mets lineup currently missing several key bats to injury, including Francisco Lindor and Francisco Alvarez.
This recent power surge is no fluke, though his 1.357 OPS over the last two weeks will naturally normalize. Soto is currently batting .305 on the year with 13 home runs, perfectly in line with our rest-of-season projections of 31 homers, 99 RBIs, and an elite .404 OBP. Our models expect him to remain a premier five-category anchor.
The Mets embark on a six-game road trip this week, starting with a tough three-game set against Seattle's elite arms like Emerson Hancock (2.78 ERA), before heading to San Diego. Soto should feast in a weekend matchup against Griffin Canning (7.16 ERA) in his return to Southern California. Lock him into lineups. Verdict: Start.
Updated 3 days ago
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Outlook Gavin Sheets
Gavin Sheets cools off after early-season power surge, facing a tough stretch of arms this week.
Gavin Sheets has hit a rough patch, batting just .189 over his last 14 days for the second-place Padres, who currently sit at 32-26. Despite his recent slump, he remains San Diego's primary everyday first baseman on the depth chart. With teammate Jake Cronenworth sidelined by a concussion, Sheets' role in the lineup remains secure for the immediate future.
While his recent performance is disappointing, his solid last 30 days (.260 AVG, 5 HR) align well with his career metrics. Our models project 12 home runs and a .239 average for the rest of the season, indicating that his early-season hot streak was likely a temporary peak. Expect his production to settle closer to his career baseline rather than his torrid spring pace.
This week, the Padres play six games, starting with a road series in Philadelphia before hosting the Mets. Sheets faces extremely difficult matchups against elite starters Cristopher Sanchez (1.47 ERA) and Zack Wheeler (2.27 ERA), though he has late-week streaming appeal against Aaron Nola and Sean Manaea. Given the overall challenging slate of pitching and his current slide, managers should Sit Sheets this week.
Updated 3 days ago
