The Mets just dropped some big news for the 2026 season: Juan Soto will move from right field to left. David Stearns, the team’s president of baseball operations, is behind a broader roster shakeup.
Soto, now 27, heads into the second year of his wild $765 million contract with New York. The team says his comfort in left field played a big part in the decision—plus, he’ll represent the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
This move fills the gap after Brandon Nimmo’s trade to the Rangers. Luis Robert Jr. will take over in center field.
The outfield is going to look totally different from last year. Some familiar faces have shifted roles or left in free agency.
Reason Behind Soto’s Position Change
Stearns and the Mets think left field gives them the best mix of defense, depth, and lineup balance for 2026. Soto’s now the anchor of the outfield, and that matters.
The team believes comfort is important, especially at Citi Field, where left field is spacious and Soto’s arm will be tested in new ways. They’re not treating this as a short-term fix. Mets executives say the switch is a long-term plan to get more defensive flexibility and keep a powerful left-handed bat in the heart of the lineup.
Defensive Track Record: Can Soto Handle Left Field?
Soto’s played more than 4,000 career innings in left, starting with Washington and sticking there through 2020 before moving to right in 2021.
The numbers paint a mixed picture. His Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) is negative in both spots—he’s at -14 DRS in left and -5 in right.
The 2025 season was rough: -7 DRS and a -13 Fielding Run Value. He’s had two strong defensive seasons—left field in 2019 (+3 DRS, +5 OAA) and right field in 2021 (+6 DRS, +4 OAA)—but he hasn’t been consistent.
In 2025, he landed in the first percentile for Outs Above Average (-15) and arm value (-5) over about 1,374 innings in right. This track record is a big part of the Mets’ decision. There’s risk, but maybe the move to left unlocks better range and route-running for Soto.
Outfield Reconfiguration and Depth
The Mets’ outfield in 2026 is getting a serious shake-up, not just with Soto’s move.
Replacing Nimmo means finding the right mix of speed, defense, and right-handed bats. Luis Robert Jr. will lock down center field, while Soto holds down left.
Several players from last season have changed roles or moved on due to trades or free agency. Carson Benge and other outfield prospects add depth behind the starters, giving the Mets a bench that can cover all three spots if needed.
What This Means for the 2026 Roster and Prospect Interplay
Here’s how things are shaping up as spring practice approaches:
- Center field: Luis Robert Jr. brings serious athleticism and a lively bat to center. He’ll handle most of the action out there.
- Left field: Juan Soto takes on a spot he knows well, but he still has to prove he can be a steady defender in 2026.
- Right field: With Soto gone from right, others will step in—maybe internal options, maybe new faces, depending on how the team builds out its depth.
- Bench/Prospects: Guys like Carson Benge and others with outfield chops give the Mets flexibility for late-game moves and injury cover. That should help them keep key players fresh and ready.
Season Outlook and Fan Expectations
From a strategic perspective, moving Soto to left field tries to keep his offensive punch in the lineup while also settling some of the defensive chaos that’s plagued the corners. Stearns clearly hopes that giving Soto a simpler route to the ball in left will help on defense, and that the Mets can still slug with the best teams in baseball.
Fans won’t just watch Soto’s glove—they’ll be curious about how the whole outfield gels, especially with Luis Robert Jr. holding down center and new faces rotating in. The 2026 season feels like the start of a new chapter for the Mets’ outfield, one that mixes star power with the kind of adaptability every contender seems to need these days.
Here is the source article for this story: Juan Soto Moving To Left Field
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