There’s always been a debate as to which sport is the hardest and which leagues feature the best competitors. Baseball has long been at the top of that discussion as hitters are constantly forced to adjust and prepare for pitches and movement that they’ve never seen before.

The bottom line: Even while Mets Twitter wrings its hands, Soto is producing at a rate that’s 37% better than league average. That kind of “struggle” would be a career year for most big leaguers. As Mintz says, “That's why Juan Soto is different. … The struggle, the strife, the worry is about a guy who is 37% better than the average hitter.”

If anything, Soto’s presence adds a new wrinkle in a rivalry that has lost its luster over the last five years.