Juan Soto revealed that lineup protection was a key consideration in his free agency negotiations with the New York Mets this past winter, specifically asking who would bat behind him after leaving his productive partnership with Aaron Judge in the Yankees\' lineup.
\"That was one of the essential parts of the discussion,\" Soto told ESPN in Spanish. \"Who was going to bat behind me?\"
Soto identified Pete Alonso, who was also a free agent at the time, as his preferred protection in the lineup.
\"I told them the best option was him,\" Soto said of Alonso.
Despite Mets owner Steve Cohen calling negotiations with Alonso \"exhausting\" in late January, the organization ultimately signed the four-time All-Star to a two-year contract with an opt-out after this season, just days before spring training began.
The early returns have validated Soto\'s assessment. Alonso is batting .333 with three home runs, 15 RBIs and a 1.139 OPS through the team\'s first 12 games of the 2025 season, providing excellent protection batting third behind Soto.
In Tuesday\'s win over Miami, the Marlins intentionally walked Soto with runners on the corners, only to have Alonso deliver a bases-clearing triple that broke the game open.
\"It seems like teams are trying to not get beat with Soto,\" Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. \"And then, before you know it, they\'re making mistakes with Pete, and he\'s been ready to go and making them pay.\"
\"He\'s such a pro,\" Alonso said of Soto. \"Obviously, we know he has power, he has the hit tool. He can hit for average. Super dynamic player offensively. But the thing that I really benefit from is just seeing -- because he sees a ton of pitches and just kind of seeing what they\'re doing to him.\"
\"That\'s why you want [protection] like that,\" Soto explained. \"First of all, to have the chance to do more damage and stuff. But whenever they don\'t want to pitch me, I know I have a guy behind me that could make it even worse for them.\"