ST. LOUIS — Two hours earlier than the scheduled first pitch on Wednesday, the New York Mets’ clubhouse is quiet, ready for a possible rain delay and an extended journey day. In the nook, Juan Soto and Luis Robert lean again in their chairs, capturing the breeze in Spanish.
This has turn into a day by day scene in the clubhouse, be it in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in Queens or now in St. Louis. In every spot, Robert’s locker has been located close to Soto’s. At Citi Field, Soto’s locker moved throughout the room from final 12 months to the alternative nook, in Starling Marte’s outdated spot, and proper subsequent to Robert’s new one. Even on the street this week, Robert’s locker is correct subsequent to Soto’s.
It’s by design.
When the Mets acquired Robert from the White Sox on Jan. 20, one of many first individuals he heard from was Soto, who has spent the months since making certain that one of many essential gamers for the 2026 Mets was as comfortable as doable.
“He’s definitely a player that has the ability to be one of the best in the game,” Soto stated, “so why not make him feel comfortable and make him feel happy so he can give his 100 percent?”
Added Robert via interpreter Alan Suriel: “Once the trade became official and Juan reached out to me, I immediately felt he was someone I could rely on and someone who would help me get accustomed to the clubhouse when I arrived.”
Robert’s consolation has confirmed helpful. Through 5 video games, he’s 5-for-15 with 4 walks and crucial hit of the younger season: an Eleventh-inning walk-off house run to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. It’s the form of begin that considerably eases the stress on a participant coming to New York, the form of begin that justifies the Mets’ early optimism that Robert may very well be an X-factor in their success.
“It was my first time going through a trade,” Robert stated. “When I first signed with the White Sox, I knew I would have José Abreu and Yoan Moncada because they’re Cubans, so they helped me a lot. When I got traded here, having a player like Juan Soto in this clubhouse receiving me the way he did, I knew that it would help me a lot.”
Soto is aware of the problem of that transition, having lived it simply final 12 months. In his first two months with the Mets, he had a .770 OPS — good for many anyone, however not for Soto. His OPS was 1.005 the remainder of the best way.
“It’s really important when you’re coming to a new team to be really welcomed,” Soto stated. “I definitely feel like it opens a door for you to feel comfortable in a place. When you’re happy and comfortable in a place, that’s when you’re going to give 100 percent and everything good is going to come out of you.
“Even if you’re not playing your best, the vibe that you bring every day because you feel comfortable in that place is going to be through the roof.”
Since the day each gamers arrived for spring coaching, Soto and Robert moved in tandem. During drills, Soto stood by Robert’s aspect. When it was time to go from one station to the opposite, Soto and Robert walked collectively.
“Juan has been tremendous for Luis, honestly,” Mets first-base coach Gilbert Gomez stated. “It seems that Juan was trying to make Luis feel as comfortable as possible within those early days of spring.”
Added supervisor Carlos Mendoza: “Juan is taking that leadership role, especially with those guys that are with him all the time. He’s a guy that’s not going to show the whole world what he’s doing. He likes to do things behind the scenes, and we’ve seen it.”
The relationship between Soto and Robert isn’t new. The two have grown nearer since Robert employed Scott Boras as his agent two years in the past. Since then, Soto and Robert have labored out collectively, together with final offseason.
“I watched him from afar all these years before and saw how he plays and how he does everything,” Robert stated. “Then when you meet him, you see how he does things up close and personal, it’s a really good feeling.”
Soto wished the 2 to have neighboring lockers.
“Why not?” he stated. “We’ve been working out together, we’ve been hanging out together for a little bit, so why not have a brother next to me?”
The new locker assignments observe an offseason throughout which their clubhouse dynamics have been scrutinized.
Last 12 months, flanking one of many two entrances to the clubhouse, Soto and Francisco Lindor resided close to each other. Lindor stays in the identical spot, which was as soon as David Wright’s locker. Soto is now on the alternative aspect of the room.
Typically, a participant’s service time performs an enormous position in what locker he finally ends up at. The Mets additionally typically place gamers in the identical place group collectively. Marcus Semien, the membership’s new second baseman, holds Soto’s outdated spot.
Per week into Robert’s tenure with the Mets, his character and efficiency are taking heart stage as a result of he’s comfortable — thanks, in half, to the crew’s largest star.
Soto’s embrace of Robert is one more signal of his personal rising consolation in his second season in Queens.
“With Juan,” Mendoza stated, “he knows this is home for him.”
Soto is attempting to make it really feel that method for others, too.
