Francisco Lindor has got to be one of the most likable guys in the entire sport. For David Stearns, it’s always been hard to quantify the impact Lindor has, both on and off the field. The narrative has remained steady since last year when Edwin Diaz, among several other teammates, said, “We look at him now as the captain of the team.”

Meanwhile, Soto had also been just as aligned with this narrative. “[Lindor] really cares about the guys. That’s huge for a team,” he said earlier this year. However, now, Soto has crowned another Mets player as the true leader of the club.

From Francisco Lindor to Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso, the New York Mets have a team brimming with veterans. Yet, it’s the way the 36-year-old outfielder handles his daily routine that sets $78 million star Starling Marte apart. At least in Juan Soto’s eyes.

“He’s literally the leader of this team—I feel like he’s actually the captain of this team,” Soto told The New York Post. “He’s bringing the energy that we need. He’s a guy whole has been stepping up every single time; it doesn’t matter what,” Soto added.

Marte, hailing from the Dominican Republic like Soto, has taken his fellow countryman under his wing. When Soto was transitioning from a Yankee to a Met, Marte played a crucial role in helping Soto adjust. A tradition grew between him and Soto. Apparently, every time one of them homered, they’d pause to pose in front of the camera.

“He’s actually the real deal of the team. He’s the model of the team. Everybody, when they want to talk and get to know something or have a conversation, they can go to him. He’s actually the real deal,” Soto added. Not just Soto, manager Carlos Mendoza is also aligned on this. “[Marte] is a quiet leader.”

Now, speaking on Marte’s on-field performance, he recently became the first player since Luis Robert to record a home run, an outfield assist, and at least 2 stolen bases in a single game. At 36, Marte is only the second-oldest player to accomplish this in the past 50 years, behind only Tony Gwynn.

On a side note, having once seen Francisco Lindor as the anchor of the club, what made Soto now apply that role to Marte?

Was there tension between Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor a few months ago?

Juan Soto didn’t have a strong start with his new team. That’s when many started to wonder if Soto was having issues with his teammates, especially Francisco Lindor. But apparently that might be the least of his worries this season.

Soto clearly hadn’t lived upto the hype of his historic contract. The pressure kept mounting for him over the span of these months. The infamous rumors have long been that he misses the other side of New York. The other rumor that spiraled around that time was if he wasn’t feeling at home in his new locker room.

Or if he and Lindor weren’t on good terms.

This took over the internet until Mike Deportes assured there was no bad blood between them. The Puerto Rican and Dominican players have been friends for a while now. So, Soto’s slump didn’t have anything to do with his teammates.

Perhaps Soto is on better terms with Marte because they both knew each other long before Soto made a debut with the Mets. In essence, Soto is good pals with both Lindor and Marte!