The first grand slam since joining the Mets is here! Soto drives in six runs, matching his career high.

During September’s first game, Juan Soto recorded 2 hits, 2 walks, and 6 RBIs, highlighted by his second career grand slam, guiding the New York Mets to a 10-8 comeback win against the Detroit Tigers away from home, snapping a two-game skid.

Soto hopes the victory in the first game of September will build momentum for the team. He said, “Teams that are hot in September usually go all the way, so now is the perfect time to get hot.”

The Mets had 8 hits today, 6 fewer than the Tigers, but drew 7 walks and were hit by pitches twice. Soto and Jeff McNeil each had 2 hits, while Luis Torrens contributed 3 hits and 2 RBIs.

Both teams showed offense or scored in nearly every inning. In the top of the 4th, the Mets loaded the bases with no outs but then saw two consecutive strikeouts. Just as a great scoring opportunity seemed wasted, Soto, down 2-1 in the count, swung hard and sent an 81 mph curveball deep to right-center field. This 36th home run of the season was his first grand slam as a Met, giving the team a 6-3 lead. Notably, although Soto has hit 237 career home runs, this was only his second grand slam.

Although the Tigers scored 3 runs in the next two innings to tie the game, Soto came through again in the top of the 6th with a triple that drove in two runners on base—his first triple of the season. The 3 RBIs in that inning helped secure the victory. Ultimately, the Mets defeated the Tigers 10-8, with Soto alone driving in 6 runs, tying his personal single-game career high last achieved on September 18, 2023, when he played for the Padres.

Regarding Soto’s performance today, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “It’s truly impressive. I don’t think anyone is surprised, but seeing him perform like this every day over a long period really shows he’s carrying the team’s success on his shoulders.”

After signing a massive 15-year, $765 million contract (approximately 5.55 billion RMB) with the Mets, Soto initially struggled, with an OPS of only 0.745 by the end of May. However, his current OPS ranks 7th in the entire league at 0.915, and his 36 home runs also place him 7th. In his last 26 games, he has hit 11 home runs and posted an OPS of 1.149, the highest in the league during this stretch.

Following this game, Soto has recorded 116 career games with at least one home run and one walk, officially surpassing legendary Mickey Mantle to become the all-time leader among players under 27 years old in the league. Additionally, Soto leads his team with 36 home runs, 104 runs scored, and a 0.915 OPS this season, while his 113 walks rank first in the league.