Juan Soto Reacts to Peralta's ALCS MVP After Mets' Trade and Awaits All-MLB Nod

Juan Soto is back in the headlines, reacting to a former teammate's playoff glory while his own season is recognized among the game's elite. The New York Mets star, a nominee for the 2026 All-MLB Team, also looked back on a disappointing campaign and shared his thoughts on a major midseason trade that paid off for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Soto didn't hold back his pride for his former teammate. On Monday, October 19, the same day Freddy Peralta was named the American League Championship Series MVP, Soto posted a pointed comment on his Instagram story. "Did I tell you so or what?" he wrote, followed by another message calling Peralta "the best in the classroom."

Peralta was Soto's teammate with the Mets until New York traded the right hander to the Rays on August 2. His season transformed after the move. After posting a 5-9 record and a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts for the Mets, he recorded a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts for Tampa Bay. In the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, he was dominant, going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA over 12 innings. He helped close out the series with 5.1 innings of one run ball in a 7-3 Game 6 victory, sending the Rays to their first World Series since 2020.

Despite a Mets season that fell short of expectations, Soto's individual performance has him in contention for a major honor. Major League Baseball announced that Soto is a nominee for the 2026 All-MLB Team. This marks his chance at a sixth career selection, putting him in a class with stars like Yordan Alvarez, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani. He is also seeking an All-MLB honor for a third consecutive season.

The winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 11, during the fourth annual MLB Awards in Las Vegas. Fan voting at MLB.com/allmlb was open until October 9, with ballots from fans and a panel of media and officials carrying equal weight in determining the First and Second Teams.

While specific quotes from Soto on the Mets' struggles are not detailed in the provided sources, the framing of one story indicates the slugger assigned blame for the team's disappointing 2026 campaign. Soto, a five time All Star, posted a .275 average with 27 home runs this season, but his impact was limited by a calf strain that caused him to miss a significant number of games. The context suggests his comments were part of a broader post mortem on a season where the Mets failed to meet their lofty goals, culminating in the decision to trade a struggling Peralta at the deadline.

That trade, however, became a defining storyline of the postseason. Peralta's immediate success with the Rays and subsequent ALCS MVP award validated the pitcher's talent and made the Mets' decision to move him look like a savvy piece of business for Tampa Bay. Soto's public support for Peralta highlights the respect between the former teammates, even as their paths diverged sharply in the season's second half.

• Juan Soto is nominated for his sixth career All-MLB Team selection, with winners announced on November 11.
• Soto publicly celebrated Freddy Peralta winning the 2026 ALCS MVP after the pitcher was traded from the Mets to the Rays on August 2.
• Peralta's turnaround was stark: he had a 4.99 ERA with New York but a 3.25 ERA with Tampa Bay, dominating the ALCS with a 0.75 ERA.
• Soto's own 2026 season included 27 home runs and a .275 average, but was interrupted by a calf strain.