Juan Soto (27) of the New York Mets finds himself at the center of a labor dispute controversy, prompting the manager to intervene.

Major League Baseball's official media outlet, MLB.com, reported on the 21st (KST) that 'Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he would address Soto's integrity, but a day later stated that he could not disclose the conversation with Soto. However, it was noted that the $765 million (1.619 trillion won) player is still making significant efforts to establish his position in the new team.'

Soto is a superstar, boasting a career batting average of .283 across 984 games played, with 977 hits in 3,454 at-bats, 209 home runs, 612 RBIs, 688 runs scored, and 63 stolen bases, resulting in an OPS of .947. Last winter, he signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, surpassing Shohei Ohtani's (Dodgers, 10 years, $700 million) for the largest contract in professional sports history. His move from the prestigious Major League Baseball team, the Yankees, to the New York area rival Mets drew even more attention.

Despite the high expectations, Soto has yet to deliver performances that match the record contract. In 48 games, he recorded a batting average of .247, with 43 hits in 174 at-bats, 8 home runs, 20 RBIs, 33 runs scored, and 6 stolen bases, resulting in an OPS of .816. While these are solid numbers, given the scale of Soto's contract, they are seen as disappointing.

Moreover, fan sentiment began to shift as there were concerns about Soto not giving his all in play. Instances where Soto hit ground balls and failed to sprint to first base led fans to speculate that he was slacking off.

MLB.com noted that 'Soto received criticism in recent games against the Yankees and the Red Sox for not giving his best effort. In response, Soto did not comment extensively to reporters, later stating, 'I think I’ve been running quite hard. You’d understand if you saw today’s game.'

'Soto is human. He’s only 26 years old. He'll be okay. It's Juan Soto after all,' Mendoza defended him, adding, 'I think Soto feels comfortable with our team, but everything is new for him. Not only has he joined a new team, but he also signed a new contract and has new expectations. He has always been on strong teams and experienced winning the World Series. However, he has now entered a new territory. It’s our organization’s role to support him.'

Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said, 'It's still New York, but it’s a new team, a new franchise, and a new fan base. Everything is new. Soto needs to adapt in various ways. It won't be exactly the same as before. Honestly, he's still finding his footing, and he’s human. Even in where we are, Soto is still doing well.'

Manager Mendoza said, 'When you sign such a contract, many more people will be watching. He knows this and has accepted it. He has always been a superstar. When you become a superstar, every action and every word draws attention. I believe he is settling in comfortably. Even if he’s not producing the results he wants, he is still a good player,' showing support for Soto.

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