Juan Soto Stuns MLB with Historic 3-HR Night—How the Superstar’s Record Performance Shifts the 2025 MVP Race

Lead-Off Hero: Juan Soto’s Record-Chasing September Ignites Mets’ Playoff Push Subhead: Soto’s 40-homer power, 100-RBI milestone and 30-30 feat have Queens buzzing about an NL MVP run as New York battles for a Wild Card berth. Queens, N.Y. — Juan Soto has always loved the late-season spotlight, but his first September in Flushing is turning into must-watch theater. The 26-year-old superstar stamped his arrival by launching his 40th home run last week, a 414-foot missile that rocked Citi Field and tied Dave Kingman for the most homers by a Met in his debut campaign. Two nights later he collected RBI No. 100 with a routine groundout that still drew a roar from the sell-out crowd. H2: An Exclusive 30-30 Club Welcome Speed was never the first line on Soto’s scouting report, yet on September 9 he swiped third base to become just the fourth Met — and the first since David Wright — to post a 30-30 season. The outfielder now sits at 41 HR and 31 SB, giving the Mets a dual-threat presence reminiscent of a prime Carlos Beltrán. H2: “No Room for Error” — Soto’s Message to the Clubhouse The Mets enter the weekend holding the final NL Wild Card by half a game, and Soto has grown vocal about urgency. “We’ve got to treat every inning like it’s October,” he told reporters after a nail-biter against Oakland. His words echoed again Wednesday, when New York dropped a 5-3 heart-breaker to the Padres and Soto shouldered blame for a warning-track fly ball that missed tying the game by inches. “That can’t happen in September,” he said matter-of-factly. H2: MVP Odds Swing Toward Queens With Shohei Ohtani sidelined and Ronald Acuña Jr. cooling off, sportsbooks have slashed Soto’s NL MVP odds from 12-to-1 in July to near even money. Voters love narrative, and Soto’s combination of counting stats (7.1 WAR, per Baseball-Reference) and big-city stage checks every box. “If we get in, he’s the favorite,” one NL scout remarked this week. H2: Contract Talk Lurks in the Background Soto is earning $30.2 million in his final arbitration year and will hit free agency at 27 unless the Mets extend him first. Industry insiders believe Steve Cohen may float a $500 million offer to lock up the franchise cornerstone through 2038. Soto’s camp is staying quiet for now, preferring to focus on October baseball, but teammates sense momentum. “Everybody here wants Juan for life,” shortstop Francisco Lindor said. H2: What’s Next on the Calendar? • Three-game showdown vs. Braves (Sept 22-24) — a chance to gain ground in the division. • Final West Coast swing at Dodgers, Giants (Sept 26-Oct 1). • Potential Wild Card tiebreaker (Oct 3) if standings remain packed. H2: Why Fans Should Keep Refreshing the Stat Sheet 1. Home-Run Chase: Soto is two blasts shy of eclipsing Beltrán’s single-season Mets record (41). 2. RBI Crown: He trails NL leader Pete Alonso by four. 3. OBP King: A .433 on-base percentage puts him neck-and-neck with Freddie Freeman. H2: Bottom Line Every at-bat Juan Soto takes is shaping the Mets’ postseason destiny and, perhaps, rewriting franchise record books. Whether he leaves Queens in November with hardware, a megadeal or both, one fact is clear: as Soto goes, so go the 2025 New York Mets.