Juan Soto flubs his first big moment with the Mets

Before Soto's at-bat, Hader allowed two singles and a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Following a strikeout and sacrifice fly that pulled the Mets within two runs, Soto stepped to the plate with a chance of being the hero for New York. 

After signing a gargantuan 15-year, $765M contract this offseason, it was the exact type of moment that the Mets signed him for. Instead, his first triumphant moment with his new team was deferred to another day.

Soto had come through in clutch situations several times previously. Most recently, he launched a three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning of Game 5 in the 2024 ALCS, sending the Yankees to last year's World Series.

He blasted a two-run shot in the ninth with the Yanks trailing 5-4 at the Giants last June.

In July 2019, while with the Nationals, Soto gave Washington a one-run lead against the Phillies after hitting a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the ninth.

Soto's strikeout on Thursday overshadowed his otherwise decent debut in a Mets uniform. He reached base three times in five plate appearances, including one hit and two walks.

But the play he didn't make, in the game's most high-stakes moment, will be most remembered from his 2025 Opening Day.