Juan Soto Reflects on Coach Richardson's Departure, Credits Him for Baserunning Success

Juan Soto expressed sadness over the departure of New York Mets 1B coach Antoan Richardson, who left to join the division rival Braves. Soto grew very close with Richardson during his first season with the Mets, crediting him significantly for his improved outfield defense and baserunning. With Richardson's help, Soto achieved a career-high 38 stolen bases, more than doubling his previous best of 12, and joined the exclusive 30-30 club. Soto stated, "Antoan did an unbelievable job. He’s been helping me since Day 1, so I give all of the credit to him." While sad, Soto acknowledged the business aspect of baseball, saying, "you’ve got to understand it’s a business at the end of the day." Richardson's impact extended beyond Soto, as the Mets ranked fifth in stolen bases as a team.