ATLANTA — Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto insist their relationship is fine.
The New York Mets need it to be fine. While owner Steve Cohen said earlier in the week the star duo is “getting along much better,” he became the first team official to publicly acknowledge that things last year may not have always been fine.
Either way, more time must pass before it’s clear that the relationship is actually fine because they have played just 15 games together this season.
Earlier this season, one club source indicated the dynamic remained somewhat strained, and other club sources described a full-court press by recently fired manager Carlos Mendoza to help the two superstars build a stronger relationship, one that last year drew heavy scrutiny.
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“There were no issues last year — at all,” Soto told The Athletic on Friday. “We didn’t have any beef or anything. Definitely, our relationship is getting better because it takes time.
“When you meet a girl, you don’t start kissing her right away.”
Lindor added, “The more time we spend together, it’s only natural that our relationship continues to grow. We’ve been teammates for two years now. Time has been on our side. I have nothing but respect for him. He’s my brother. He’s somebody I respected from a distance and respect here, inside.”
While club sources corroborated that the relationship appears in better standing, the Soto-Lindor dynamic has lingered for two seasons. After the Mets’ disappointing end to last season, The Athletic reported a personality clash between Soto and Lindor. The New York Post also reported that the two players had a chilly relationship last year.
Cohen told The New York Post earlier this week that “I think that’s a story that was last year’s story,” but club sources indicated the story bled early into this season, too. According to other players earlier this season, a somewhat frosty relationship between the two stars made it challenging at times to know whom to go to for leadership.
Recently, Lindor and Soto had what multiple club sources described as “hard conversations” that led to people feeling better about the situation. Both players, however, pushed back on such a characterization.
“Hard conversations happen every day,” Lindor said. “They happen every day; it’s just we talk about different things. But I didn’t think it was a hard conversation. It was just, we talked. We talk every single day, whether it’s hitting or different topics. But we definitely talk because at the end of the day, we are teammates and our job is to win games.”
Lindor and Soto both described Mendoza as a strong leader without going as far as confirming his role in any potential conversations with them. Other club sources, however, said Mendoza devoted a lot of energy to making sure Lindor and Soto were on the same page. Whenever Mendoza was asked about the relationship between Soto and Lindor, however, he downplayed any idea that an issue ever existed.
The genesis of the speculated friction between Soto and Lindor is unknown. Lindor said he didn’t want to elaborate on that or any conversations he had with Soto because such discussions, in his view, should remain in the clubhouse between players.
In recent days, Soto and Lindor have been seen mingling together in the dugout more than before, adding some substance to the claims that things are trending well. Still, because of injuries, they’ve played just 15 games together this season. In spring training, Lindor missed some time because of an injury while Soto played in the World Baseball Classic. Thus, more time is necessary.
“I just feel like our relationship has continued to grow over the years,” Lindor said. “We’ve been together for two years now. So there’s no reason to say why it didn’t get off on the right foot or anything. It’s just a relationship. A normal relationship.”
Perhaps things just take time, as Lindor and Soto say. For the Mets, it is vital for that to be the case. Ahead of the 2025 season, Soto signed a 15-year contract worth $765 million. With a deal carrying a total of $341 million, Lindor is under contract for five more seasons. Between the two players, the Mets have committed more than $1 billion. A potential lockout next season makes it more difficult for the Mets to move either player, and, anyway, Cohen told The New York Post, “I don’t see them going anywhere.” So they’re seemingly here to stay.
Against the backdrop of a second straight bad season for the team, the Mets need Soto and Lindor to be aligned as leaders.
“It’s really important,” Soto said. “That’s kind of like the core of the team. When you have the whole group together, it goes a long way. It’s not only two guys. It has to be the whole group that comes together. That’s one of the biggest things for a team.”
Added Lindor: “We have the two long-term contracts here. We’re going to get to know each other a lot more. I am looking forward to the future and continuing to grow with him.”
