If there is any sport where fans should exhibit patience, it’s baseball. However, WFAN host Sal Licata is having none of it when it comes to Juan Soto, the highest-paid player in American professional sports history. Soto signed a monumental 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets this offseason, which naturally brings with it sky-high expectations for performance on the field.
Should Juan Soto remain with the Mets for the entire duration of his contract, the first month of his career will merely be a small tip of the iceberg of his time with the franchise. Baseball’s 162-game season means that what happens in April, as players adjust and find their rhythm, can drastically differ from their performance by September. Despite the context, Sal Licata isn’t willing to wait until then—or even until May—before leveling criticism at Soto, who has gotten off to a lukewarm start with a .231/.367/.431 batting line, 3 home runs, and 7 RBIs in 18 games. Still, the Mets sit atop the NL East at 11-7, indicating Soto may just need time to adapt to his new environment. All should be well, right?
.@sal_licata WENT OFF on Juan Soto after his 0-for-5 performance yesterday 😳 pic.twitter.com/Z5sGOnzOY7
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) April 17, 2025
Licata did not hold back, declaring, “Juan Soto has stunk to start his Mets career. I never thought I would be at this point with a guy I begged and pleaded for the Mets to get. Every single time this guy has come up in a big spot this year, he has failed.” He continued, “And yesterday, a despicable 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, leaving a small village on the basepaths as the Mets lose a series. You don’t pay $765 million to a guy who gets on base 40% of the time. Every time he’s come up in a crucial moment, he has failed this year. I don’t want to hear the excuses; I want to see production. Now!”
It’s hard to believe it’s only April 17th and already this kind of reaction is coming from the media. Sal Licata is no stranger to fiery rants and has exhibited some clownish tendencies in the past, but this reaction feels over the top, especially considering the small sample size of 18 games. There’s a 99.9999% chance that by the season’s end, Soto will be putting up All-Star and MVP-caliber numbers. If Soto is still struggling by the time the Jets and Giants kick off, then it will be time for panic. And given that the Mets are leading their division, one can only imagine the volume of Licata’s rant if they were below .500.
