It's one of the most common sounds one will hear at ballpark, and it happens most frequently whenever a star player comes up to bat. That's when fans begin to chant the word "overrated," which is sometimes followed by a series of five claps.
No player is spared from these chants; the higher their profile, the more likely they'll hear them — especially if they're in the midst of a slump.
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto doesn't find himself in that latter category of superstar, as he headed into Monday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers with hits in seven of his last eight games. But the sound of those four syllables still reverberated throughout Comerica Park, just like they have everywhere Soto has played this season.
Soto responds to hecklers with strong performance at the plate
Rather than blast those fans in a social media tirade or a fiery post-game comment, Soto let his play on the diamond do the talking.
Soto went 2-3 at the plate with two walks in the Mets' 10-8 win over the Tigers, scoring two runs himself and driving in six more, which tied his single-game career high in that statistic. He also became the first player in modern professional baseball history to launch a go-ahead grand slam and a go-ahead multi-run triple in the same contest, according to OptaSTATS.
"It’s a show,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the game, via The Athletic's Will Sammon. “Every time he’s at the plate, you want to watch it. It’s pretty special, and I’m glad he’s on our team.”
Soto didn't directly address the chants he had been hearing in his own post-game interview, but he did share why individual performances like this one are so important for the Mets as they chase a National League playoff spot.
“This is the month,” Soto said, via The Athletic's Will Sammon. “I feel like whoever gets hot in September is the team that goes all the way.”
Compared to previous seasons, Soto is having a slightly down year, as he is hitting just .257 at the plate, projected to be his lowest single-season mark in a year he spent with only one team. Yet he has still been productive in his first campaign with the Mets, swatting 36 home runs, accumulating 90 RBIs and leading the league in walks (113), which has brought his OPS up to .915.