ESPN analyst believes Mets' Juan Soto has real chance to post 40 HR, 40 SB season

The New York Mets made a lot of additions and subtractions this offseason, and while there is some uncertainty for how the team will look with this new-look lineup, rotation, and bullpen, there's plenty of optimism.

Juan Soto is one of the most noteworthy holdovers, and after an incredible 2025 season for the Mets in his first year with the team, he could be in store for another huge year at 27 years old that could challenge Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP.

ESPN's David Schoenfield believes such a year is very possible for Soto, especially if he reaches two specific goals. Those are 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, which, while difficult, is something Schoenfield believes Soto is capable of.

ESPN analyst believes Juan Soto can reach 40 HR, 40 SB in 2026

"It might be easy to say teams will be more aware of Soto's baserunning in 2026, but they were aware of what he was doing in August and September and still couldn't stop him," Schoenfield writes. "I think he'll have another big year on the bases."

With a goal of NL MVP over Ohtani, Soto will need to have a truly remarkable season to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar, who's slated to pitch in 2026.

One way to do so is to pair a big homer season with a career-high in stolen bases. If Soto can put up a 40-homer, 40-stolen-base season for the Mets, his MVP odds will be strong.

Of course, it won't be easy to beat Ohtani, but he might get the edge with such a 40-home run, 40-stolen base season in 2026.

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Soto posted 38 stolen bases in 2025, an out-of-nowhere performance for a player who's not the fastest in the league. Elly De La Cruz, Corbin Carroll, Bobby Witt Jr., Trea Turner, and many other speedsters stealing that many bases wouldn't be a surprise.

But Soto, someone who previously stole 12 bases at most in a season, reaching 38 steals last year to lead the NL, was a massive part of his game that came about out of nowhere.

He has had back-to-back seasons with at least 40 home runs, and if he can carry his late-season success from 2025 into 2026, reaching the 40-40 goals is not that impossible.

Schoenfield thinks Soto has it in him, and after his surprising 38 stolen base 2025, and back-to-back 40-homer campaigns, who's to say reaching 40-40 in 2026 isn't possible?

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