Juan Soto Issuing NL MVP Challenge to Shohei Ohtani Sparks Wild Reactions from Fans: “Just Focus on You and Your Team”

Juan Soto finished third in the National League MVP race in 2025 behind Kyle Schwarber and eventual winner, Shohei Ohtani.

Juan Soto Issuing NL MVP Challenge to Shohei Ohtani Sparks Wild Reactions from Fans: “Just Focus on You and Your Team”

Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani (Image via X/@BRWalkoff/MLB)

Juan Soto has set his sights on catching Shohei Ohtani. The New York Mets recently issued a National League MVP challenge to the two-way star and expressed that he was coming after him.

Last year, Soto spent his first season with the Mets following his massive 15-year, $765 million deal. He was coming off after finishing third in the American League MVP race behind Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. and then-teammate Aaron Judge.

With this enormous deal in December 2024, Soto switched teams in New York, going from the Yankees to the Mets. The spotlight was firmly on him during the 2025 campaign.

Soto did not have the best start and struggled in his early days with the Mets. As the season went on, both he and his team experienced the highs and the lows.

The Dominican international would not make the All-Star team, something that sent shockwaves across the MLB world. Eventually, the Mets’ season came down to the final game of the season.

The Queens-based side, which, at one stage, had the best record in the league, had suffered a major collapse in the second half of the season and needed to win to keep their hopes alive.

Unfortunately for them, things did not work out the way they had hoped. The Miami Marlins would crush them 4-0 in the final regular-season game. Despite having the likes of Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, the Mets failed to make it to the postseason.

Individually, Soto would have a great season. He would set a new career high in home runs at 43. He batted with a .263 average and finished third in the NL MVP race behind Kyle Schwarber and Ohtani.

While Soto will likely end up being in the Hall of Fame one day, he wants to go there with an MVP award. As per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the 27-year-old has Ohtani and his MVP award in his sights for the upcoming season.

I’m going to be there every year, too. So he (Shohei Ohtani) better keep doing what he’s doing, because I’m coming.

Juan Soto said regarding the NL MVP race

Last season, Ohtani claimed his third straight MVP award and his 4th overall. He thus became the 2nd player after Barry Bonds to win 4 or more MVPs honors.

Juan Soto trolled by fans following his bold comments regarding the NL MVP race

Juan Soto made some bold comments on Monday regarding the NL MVP race. The New York Mets star ended up sending a message to Shohei Ohtani and claiming that he will be coming for him. These words from him sparked some wild reactions on social media as many trolled him.

Juan Soto
Juan Soto (Image via MLB)

Fans on X would take a swipe at him after this. While some questioned whether he would start pitching as Ohtani does, some urged him to focus on winning the World Series. One user wrote, “just focus on you and your team,” while making their feelings known.

Check out that and some other reactions from X below:

Soto’s best finish in the MVP race came in 2021 when he finished second behind Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper. That year, Ohtani claimed his first MVP award while playing for the Los Angeles Angels in the American League.

Juan Soto was named by MLB in their early predictions to win the NL MVP award in 2026

Like every season, MLB.com released its early predictions for the upcoming season in January. In this, they did have Juan Soto winning the NL MVP race over Shohei Ohtani and the others.

Juan Soto
Juan Soto (Image via MLB)

In their NL Awards predictions, they had Yoshinobu Yamamoto to win the NL Cy Young Award, JJ Wetherholt as the NL Rookie of the Year, Mason Miller as the Reliever of the Year and Don Kelly as the manager of the year.

Despite two back-to-back unanimous wins, they did not have Ohtani to three-peat the MVP award. They would pick Soto in their early predictions to win this honor.

For now, Soto will turn his attention towards the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC). After that, he will hope for a positive second season with the Mets.

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