New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza defended outfielder Juan Soto on Tuesday, a day after saying he would meet with the star over his perceived lack of hustle. "He's human. He's 26, man," Mendoza told reporters before a loss to the Boston Red Sox. "He's going to be fine. He's Juan Soto."

Soto is slugging just .156 over his last nine games, and the media vultures are circling. At this point, the Mets are desperate to help him get going if only to put this whole saga in the rearview mirror and build some positive momentum.

The last time the New York Mets hit a home run was courtesy of Brett Baty in their 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 14. That fact alone underscores just how stagnant the Mets’ offense has been lately—evident again in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox.