HOUSTON — The baseball world had been waiting for Juan Soto’s Mets debut since he signed a record 15-year, $765 million deal with the team over the winter. And on Thursday in his first game in orange and blue, Soto did plenty of Soto things. But the Astros didn’t mind playing spoiler in their 3-1 Opening Day victory.
The thing Soto does better than anyone else in baseball is get on base. He showed that elite ability starting in his first at-bat, when he shot a single up the middle in the first inning against Houston starter Framber Valdez. Soto followed with walks in the third and eighth innings, a sight New York fans will quickly get used to. No player has drawn more walks than the four-time All-Star since he debuted in 2018.
But even while the Mets’ $765 million man did many of the things they expected him to do in the season’s opening game, the team had a quiet night offensively and barely threatened after Houston took an early lead. That is, until Astros closer Josh Hader lost his command in the ninth inning, allowing a run to score and putting runners on the corners with the go-ahead run at the plate.
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Who else would it be but Soto?
Soto began the at-bat against Hader doing what he normally does, working the count and controlling the strike zone. Once it got to 3-0, you could sense the sellout crowd at Daikin Park growing tense as one of the game’s best had the count exactly where he wanted it.
But then Hader powered back with back-to-back strikes to get the count full before he lured Soto to swing through a devastating slider to close the ballgame.
“I got one of the best closers in the game. That’s how I saw it,” Astros manager Joe Espada said after Houston’s victory.
Rookie sensation Cam Smith makes instant impact
The Astros spent the offseason reshuffling the deck, moving on from longtime third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency and trading star right fielder Kyle Tucker to the Cubs. While the departures captured the headlines, Houston did make some key additions, including acquiring third baseman Isaac Paredes in the Tucker deal and signing first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million deal. But it was rookie Cam Smith who made one of the biggest impressions during the Astros’ Opening Day victory, which was also his MLB debut.
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It has been a meteoric rise for the 2024 first-round pick out of Florida State, who was the centerpiece in the return for Tucker. After he tore up the Grapefruit League during spring training, the Astros couldn’t keep the rookie out of their lineup.
Smith felt all the emotions going into his first big-league game, in which he started in right field and batted seventh.
“For the first time ever, I had to force myself to eat,” Smith joked after the game. “I was not hungry at all. I think the nerves were kicking in. So I definitely felt that energy before I got on the field, and just to go out there and wave to the fans and connect with the fans … it was awesome. It was such a great feeling.”
The Astros’ rookie didn’t waste time getting his first hit out of the way, knocking a sharp single to right field in the second inning. Smith, who gave the ball to his stepdad after the game, is likely to be on a high for some time as the memories of his first game in the big leagues sink in.
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“I was just out there with my family on the field appreciating this day,” he said. “Good thing we got done early so I can go home and get my feet underneath myself and think about it.”
Jose Altuve enjoys eventful day in left field
On an Opening Day full of storylines, one of the biggest stories, and one that will continue to evolve as the season goes on, is All-Star Jose Altuve playing left field every day. The Astros’ defensive experiment didn’t exactly go well during the spring, and the first look at Altuve, The Outfielder, in a game that counted had everyone on the edge of their seat.
Even so, Astros fans were sure to show their longtime franchise icon some appreciation, with a huge ovation as he ran out to left field for the first time.
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“I wasn’t expecting that, but that was amazing,” Altuve said afterward. “I really appreciate their support. That was one of the happiest moments I’ve had in my career.”
Of course, Altuve’s first opportunity to make a play was not a can of corn. Instead, it was a broken-bat fly ball between Altuve and center fielder Jake Meyers. While the shallow fly ball off the bat of Brandon Nimmo was sinking fast, with both players converging and calling for it, Altuve jumped in front of Meyers to make the play, narrowly avoiding a collision.
Altuve’s other two defensive chances weren’t as eventful, though he did make a running grab while sprinting toward the infield. It probably won’t be pretty at times, but Altuve’s adventure in the outfield definitely won’t be boring.
“I know Jake called that one, but I was on the way there, so I said, ‘I wanna get my ball,’” Altuve said with a smile. “Peña, I have priority over him, so he’s gotta get out of the way.”
