It began with a home run, which was everything and nothing all at once. Juan Soto’s solo shot in the ninth inning for the Mets broke up what could have been a no-hitter, sure—however, it also came far too late to matter. The Mets still lost. Again. The fans at Citi Field barely cheered and frustration was about to boil over—not from the team, however, from a radio booth. Because while Juan Soto jogged the bases, smiling, one former NFL legend was sitting behind a mic, seething.
Boomer Esiason, longtime voice on WFAN, did not sugarcoat anything: “He’s got a nice smile on his face and he’s laughing. I’m sick of it. I want to see attitude… If that’s the guy making $765 million and he’s supposed to be a leader, I’m not following that guy.” It was not just a critique—it was a full-on blast, and this echoed from the airwaves straight into dugout tension.
However, this was not just related to a home run trot and a quick grin. It was related to optics, timing, and the brutal reality of expectations in the city’s sports. At the beginning of the season, the Mets were riding high on a seven-game win streak. However, now, the team has collapsed into a stretch so lifeless that it began to mirror the Yankees’ woes. A $330 million roster, filled with talent and hype, had managed to lose eight of nine games and get swept by the Guardians. Hopes of owning the summer in the city were suddenly evaporating, replaced by familiar concerns: what went wrong, and who is stepping up?
This is where the legend, Boomer’s fire, hit hardest. This was not just a media hot take. It highlighted a sentiment multiple fans quietly whispered: Where is the accountability and the leadership? WFAN’s tweet captured it perfectly: “Boomer went off on Juan Soto and his effort level, even on his home run, after yesterday’s loss.” That one-liner became the lightning rod for frustration—and Juan Soto became the symbol of it all.
However, this stretch has been related to more than just one star. Manager Carlos Mendoza defended the team’s hitters, saying, “We know we’re better than that.” However, the data says otherwise. The Mets went hitless for 13 straight innings between Tuesday and Wednesday. Brandon Nimmo admitted to feeling “not great” after six strikeouts in two games and with the Yankees going through a tough period just across the town, WFAN’s Keith McPherson did not stop: “This should be as loud as the Yankees slander… I’m not gonna hold you, it’s just as bad.”
Boomer went off on Juan Soto and his effort level, even on his home run, after yesterday’s loss
Listen to his rant: https://t.co/mz6QP018Nh pic.twitter.com/VBH9b6KydO
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) August 7, 2025
That is the gut-punch in this situation: the Mets can not hide behind the Yankees anymore. Because their excuses are running dry, the vibe has transformed from hype to humiliation, and Juan Soto’s smile—caught in the wrong moment—lit the match. Their morale? Questionable.
However, as Juan Soto’s swing delayed the Guardians’ party, it could not mask the deeper issue plaguing his team—a lineup running on fumes and a coaching staff now under a white-hot spotlight. However, at the center of this drama? A hitting coach is facing the heat as the bats go ice cold.
Pressure mounts amid Mets’ offensive meltdown
You know things are getting tense when a meaningless ninth-inning homer becomes the only thing saving you from total embarrassment. That was the Mets on Wednesday—shut down and almost no-hit until Juan Soto linked in garbage time. However, even that swing could not quiet the enhancing noise surrounding hitting coach Eric Chavez. Fans are beginning to get louder, and it is not cheers they are yelling.
Time to call it what it is: the team’s offense has gone missing. Over the Mets’ last nine games, they are hitting just .189. Even worse, it is not the first time this has happened this season. For the past two months, the Mets have hovered around a team batting average just a shade over .210. While their lineup still boasts stars like Juan Soto, Lindor, and Pete Alonso, the team’s bats have gone silent at the period of their most vital stretch.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has publicly stood by his stars, reminding the media that the coaching crew is putting in the work. However, Mendoza also said after the loss that, “We go in with a game plan and haven’t been able to make adjustments… You have to be able to do that.” This is a statement that looks more like a warning flare than just a postgame review. If in-game adjustments are missing—and the manager is openly saying so—it is tough not to look toward the star responsible for helping hitters make them.
Of course, no hitting coach swings the bat for their star. However, the thought process matters, and currently, the thought process is that Chavez is not unlocking answers quickly enough. With OPS numbers sliding and a 23rd-ranked team batting average, the most die-hard fans are growing impatient.
Image: MLB.com
If the Mets think to salvage their 2025 campaign, the bats need to wake up—quickly. Otherwise, Eric Chavez will not get the scope to fix what is broken. In MLB, outcomes are the only things that matter, and when those are not coming, the accountability clock begins to tick.
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