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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mets’ best player this season isn’t headed to the All-Star Game, but he’s putting on his own show before the break.

Juan Soto’s mammoth June has spilled over into nearly as impressive a July.

On Saturday the Mets used a mighty swing from the star outfielder and coupled it with superb team pitching and defense for a 3-1 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Soto’s second homer in as many games, a two-run, 435-foot rocket in the fourth inning, carried the Mets into the ninth — in which Jeff McNeil’s RBI single provided an insurance run.

“I feel like my power showed up in the first half — I am happy that way,” said Soto, who leads the Mets with 23 homers. “I definitely had to improve a couple of things in my swing and I had to battle from the beginning all the way to where we are now. But I definitely feel good because the power is there.”

Soto, who won National League Player of the Month for June, has produced a 1.026 OPS this month.

But barring his late addition to the NL roster as an injury replacement, Soto won’t be in Atlanta on Tuesday to participate in the All-Star game.

“It’s just a roster of [32] players and there are over 300 players, so it’s really tough to get in,” Soto said. “Next time I am going to try harder and see what I can do.”

How would Soto evaluate his first half?

“I think it was pretty decent,” said Soto, who owns a .265/.400/.515 slash line with 11 stolen bases. “Team wise we did a really good job coming right at the top and we’ve just got to keep going.”


  Juan Soto hits a home run during the Mets-Royals game on July 12, 2025. Getty Images Juan Soto hits a home run during the Mets-Royals game on July 12, 2025. Getty Images

First there is one last game before the break, and a chance for the Mets to complete a three-game sweep. Sean Manaea, scheduled to follow Clay Holmes in a piggyback appearance, is set for his season debut.

On this day it was Frankie Montas, Reed Garrett, Chris Devenski and Edwin Díaz that handled the load.

Díaz recorded the final six outs for his 19th save this season.

Montas dominated into the sixth before allowing his only run.


  Juan Soto hits a home run during the Mets-Royals game on July 12, 2025. AP Juan Soto hits a home run during the Mets-Royals game on July 12, 2025. AP

In his fourth start off the injured list, the right-hander surrendered four hits and struck out five over five innings, departing at 83 pitches with the Mets ahead 2-1.

Soto’s two-run homer in the fourth gave the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Francisco Lindor singled leading off the inning and stole second (the 200th stolen base of his career) before Soto jumped on a full-count slider from Jonathan Bowlan and hit it deep over the fence in right-center.

“It’s hard to believe that [Soto] is going home for the next four days instead of going to Atlanta,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The good thing is he’s going to continue to play the way he is capable and do everything he can to help us win baseball games. He is an All-Star.”


  Frankie Montas pitches during the Mets’ win over the Royals on July 12, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Frankie Montas pitches during the Mets’ win over the Royals on July 12, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Montas allowed a leadoff double to Jonathan India in the first and then didn’t surrender another hit until the fourth, when Vinnie Pasquantino singled.

Kyle Isbel and India delivered consecutive doubles against Montas to start the sixth, pulling the Royals within 2-1.

Garrett entered and threw away a pickoff attempt of India at second base, moving the runner to third with nobody out before retiring the next three batters without the run scoring.

Devenski walked Salvador Perez leading off the bottom of the seventh and with one out drilled Nick Loftin.

But the right-hander recovered to preserve the Mets’ 2-1 lead by getting John Rave to hit into a fielder’s choice before Isbel grounded out, with Devenski covering first base to receive the throw from Luisangel Acuña.

Díaz received a boost from an overturned call in the eighth.

Bobby Witt Jr. was originally ruled safe in his attempted steal of second, but the Mets challenged the call and won.

Soto was asked for his biggest takeaway about the team from this first half.

“That we have a lot of talent,” he said. “Nobody can take it from us.”

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