“He felt comfortable there”: David Stearns announces Juan Soto will anchor Mets’ left field this season

By the time the 2026 season rolls around, the New York Mets are making a big defensive switch and are now officially bringing superstar outfielder Juan Soto home to left field full-time. Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns confirmed the decision on Tuesday, adding that it followed internal discussions and evaluations early in spring camp. The Mets are smoothing out their outfield configuration around Soto, who spent most of his career in right field, and he'll become the team's primary left fielder.

It wasn't something that needed to be forced, and Stearns noted that the decision was made more or less organically when Soto began preparing for international play. The Mets front office, however, came away from those sessions feeling that the transition would be a seamless, positive experience for both the player and the team going forward.

David Stearns explains the reasoning behind the move

When Stearns spoke to reporters at the Mets' springtraining complex, he had some clarity on how the organization arrived at the choice. Soto, along with manager Carlos Mendoza, shaped the plan, he divulged. What began as a basic way to get Woolf ready for the international stage slowly transformed into a more permanent fix for the Mets' outfield.


“As they had their conversations, he felt really comfortable there,” Stearns said. “It made sense for us from a roster perspective, so we’re going to go forward with it and everyone’s on board with it.”

Placing Soto in left field would also open up roster flexibility for the Mets, according to the team's belief. After adding an elite defender who can take over in center field and compete with a few younger players for time in right field, the club feels this is the best offensive/defensive configuration at this point.

What Juan Soto’s position change means for the Mets

Relocating Soto is one of the more significant strategic firings for the Mets since he entered the organization. He briefly became the face of the franchise and one of the game's most significant hitters after signing a historic free agent contract ahead of last season. And now the Mets are asking him to play a slightly different defensive role and continue to anchor the middle of the order.

The move isn't expected to affect Soto's offensive role at all. Team officials have indicated that his bat is the main attraction, and if he can settle in at left field, that position should provide him with a comfortable home in which to concentrate on run production. As for the Mets, they view the move as a way to continue giving opportunities to young right-field talent without sacrificing overall performance.


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