The New York Mets began the 2025 season with lofty expectations following a headline-making offseason and an encouraging April. However, as summer approaches, frustration is setting in across Queens.
The team has fallen below the .500 mark, and fans are increasingly discontent with several big-name players who have yet to deliver as hoped. Among those drawing criticism from the Flushing faithful are Juan Soto, Sean Manaea, and Edwin Díaz.
Juan Soto: The $765 Million Scrutiny
No player in Major League Baseball — especially not on the Mets — entered the 2025 season under more scrutiny than Juan Soto. After signing an unprecedented 15-year, \$765 million deal, Soto was heralded as the cornerstone of the franchise’s future. Yet, his early performance in New York has been underwhelming, raising concerns about both his production and commitment.
Through late April, Soto has posted a .257 batting average, a .378 on-base percentage, and a .410 slugging percentage, along with three home runs and 12 RBIs. Decent numbers for most, but far short of expectations for a player with the largest contract in sports history. Mets fans, already frustrated by the team’s inability to capitalize in crucial moments and losses to rivals like the Yankees and Red Sox, have not been shy in voicing their disappointment.
Beyond the stats, Soto’s perceived lack of hustle has become a major talking point. In one recent incident at Fenway Park, he admired what he assumed was a home run — only to be limited to a long single when the ball stayed in play. The moment led to a discussion with manager Carlos Mendoza about effort, something the fanbase quickly seized on. As one columnist put it, “At just 26, he should be sprinting out of the box and leaving it all on the field.”
Despite strong underlying metrics — his expected batting average and contact numbers remain elite — optics and expectations carry weight. Mets fans, who watched Soto guide the Yankees to the World Series just a year ago, were hoping for more than solid numbers; they wanted a superstar performance. Instead, the disconnect between what was promised and what’s been delivered has turned Soto into a focal point of frustration in Queens.
Sean Manaea: The $75 Million Ghost
After signing Sean Manaea to a three-year, \$75 million contract following a strong 2024 season (12-6, 3.47 ERA), the Mets hoped he would serve as a dependable fixture in their starting rotation. Instead, he has become emblematic of the team’s persistent injury troubles and a growing source of fan discontent.
Manaea has yet to take the mound in 2025 due to a right oblique strain that has lingered far beyond initial expectations. Originally placed on the 15-day injured list, he suffered a setback during rehab, underwent a platelet-rich plasma injection, and was transferred to the 60-day IL. His earliest possible return now looks to be in late May or early June, though even that timeline may be overly optimistic.
Fans are visibly frustrated. Social media is filled with posts like, “Unless he’s starting a rehab assignment, I don’t want to hear about Sean Manaea,” and “Seriously, what’s going on with Sean?” It’s a familiar scenario: a big-money signing sidelined while the rotation is left scrambling.
Although injuries have affected multiple arms on the staff, Manaea’s absence hits harder given the expectations tied to his contract. Until he’s back on the mound and proving his worth, he stands as a symbol of the Mets’ injury-plagued season and a lightning rod for fan ire.
Edwin Diaz: The Jekyll and Hyde Closer
Few players in recent Mets history have ridden the emotional rollercoaster quite like Edwin Díaz. After a stellar 2022 campaign, his trajectory was abruptly halted by a freak knee injury during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Since his return, Díaz has been a paradox—at times dazzling, more often frustrating, and consistently nerve-wracking for fans.
His 2025 statistics paint a puzzling picture. While his ERA through his first six save chances ballooned to 5.59, more advanced analytics (xFIP 3.32, SIERA 2.93) hint that his performance may not be as bad as it seems. Still, watching him pitch offers little comfort. He fluctuates wildly between brilliance and chaos, showing decreased velocity, a troubling 52% hard-hit rate, and a spike in walks and hittable pitches.
Fans have grown weary of the unpredictability. As one put it, “He’s the definition of Jekyll and Hyde. One minute he’s wildly missing the zone, the next he’s striking out the side on 10 pitches.” Díaz’s past dominance makes his current inconsistency all the more difficult to accept. In a city that once watched Mariano Rivera lock down ninth innings with surgical precision, patience for shaky closers is thin—and even Díaz’s strongest backers are beginning to lose faith.
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