Mets legend Ron Darling blasts Juan Soto over lack of effort: "You end up being embarrassed"
The SNY analyst questioned Soto's hustle for a second consecutive game, although the Mets star later showed his health may not be preventing him from running hard
J uan Soto 's effort has become a talking point during the Mets ' Subway Series against the Yankees , and longtime New York broadcaster Ron Darling was not prepared to overlook another slow start out of the batter's box.
Soto was criticized during Saturday's game at Yankee Stadium after failing to immediately sprint down the first-base line following a ground ball to second. The play ultimately ended in an out, but Anthony Volpe 's bobble briefly gave Soto an opportunity to reach safely.
Darling , who was calling the game for SNY, acknowledged the defensive mistake but argued that Soto's initial lack of urgency was what put him in the difficult position.
"If you’re not going to run, things like that are going to happen," Darling said on SNY. "Bobbled. If you don’t run out of the box, then you end up being embarrassed. DHing today because last night, I don’t know what his physical ailments are; he can’t play left field in this ballpark right now."
The criticism came less than 24 hours after another controversial sequence involving Soto during Friday night's 6-4 loss to the Yankees.
Soto appeared slow to react to a Ryan McMahon single to left field in the eighth inning, allowing another run to score and helping New York extend its advantage. The Mets ultimately lost the opener of the three-game Subway Series.
The back-to-back incidents have raised questions about whether Soto is still dealing with the effects of the calf problems that have disrupted his season.
Soto's calf injuries add another layer to the controversy
The 27-year-old has spent significant time on the injured list in 2026. A right calf strain sidelined him for roughly two and a half weeks in April, while a Grade 2 strain to his left calf later kept him out for 31 games during July and August.
Soto eventually returned on August 29 after missing five weeks with the left calf injury. He immediately contributed in a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros, collecting an RBI single in his first game back.
Those injuries make the discussion about effort more complicated. A player returning from significant calf trouble may understandably be cautious about explosive movements, particularly when running from a standing position or chasing a ball in the outfield.
Gary Cohen raised precisely that possibility during the SNY broadcast.
"He had two balls drop in front of him last night. If you do the math, it might have cost the Mets the game," the play-by-play broadcaster said.
Cohen also pointed toward the injuries Soto has suffered to "both calves" this season as a potential explanation for what viewers were seeing.
However, Saturday's game provided evidence that Soto can still run effectively when necessary.
Earlier in the contest, the Mets star hustled into second for a double, tagged up at third and eventually scored on a Carson Benge single. Keith Hernandez, another former Mets star working the broadcast, praised Soto's movement on the play.
"He showed no issues with his calf," Keith Henrndez said. "He ran like the devil on that double."
Soto then added an even bigger contribution in the seventh inning, launching a mammoth solo home run to extend the Mets ' lead to 6-2.
The contrasting sequences underline why the issue has become such a prominent topic. Soto has demonstrated that he is capable of running aggressively, yet his lack of immediate effort on certain plays has drawn criticism from the Mets ' broadcast team.
For a player carrying a record-setting $765 million contract, the scrutiny is inevitable. Soto joined the Mets after signing the massive 15-year deal ahead of the 2025 season, putting enormous expectations on his every at-bat and defensive opportunity.
The Mets also need their superstar healthy and productive as they attempt to remain in contention late in the season. New York entered the Subway Series at 68-78 and had already lost Friday's opener, while the Yankees improved to 85-62 following their victory.
Darling's comments therefore come at a crucial point in the Mets' season. The criticism is not necessarily about one ground ball or one defensive mistake, but about the perception of consistency and effort from one of the most important players on the roster.
Soto has already shown that his calf can withstand significant running when required. The question now is whether he can convince his critics, including members of the Mets ' own broadcast team, that the same urgency will be there on every play as New York pushes toward the postseason.
