Thu Jun 12 17:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Soto Heating Up for Mets, Rekindles Rivalry with Former Trade Partner Gore

**NEW YORK -** Juan Soto is emerging from a May slump in a big way, showcasing the offensive prowess the New York Mets hoped for when they signed him to a record-breaking $765 million contract. His recent surge includes eight hits in his last four games, highlighted by a home run Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals, and a bit of playful (or not-so-playful) banter with pitcher MacKenzie Gore, his former trade partner.

Soto stared down Gore a couple of times while circling the bases after his home run, but downplayed any serious tension. “We were saying hi to each other. That’s it,” Soto joked to reporters, drawing laughter.

The connection between Soto and Gore runs deeper than a divisional rivalry. They were the key players in a 2022 blockbuster trade that sent Soto from Washington to San Diego (before eventually landing in New York) and Gore, along with prospects CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III, and James Wood, to the Nationals.

“We always go back and forth. Nothing bad or anything. And he got me,” said Gore, who boasts a league-leading 114 strikeouts. He acknowledged Soto’s competitiveness and ultimately attributed the homer to a mistake pitch. “Threw a bad slider and he hit it out.”

Beyond the home run, Soto also delivered a crucial RBI double and threw out a runner at home plate from right field, contributing significantly to the Mets’ 5-4, 10-inning victory.

Soto now has four home runs in his last 10 games, bringing his season total to 12. The four-time All-Star, who helped lead Washington to a World Series title in 2019, has reached base safely in his last 12 games and is batting .341 with eight RBIs and a 1.225 OPS during that span. This recent form is a welcome sign for Mets fans who are eager to see Soto dominate and live up to his massive contract.

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