In the third inning of the New York Mets' game against the Houston Astros Friday, a new era of Mets baseball formally began.

With two outs and a 1-2 count, New York right fielder Juan Soto deposited Astros pitcher Hunter Brown's 95-mph cutter over the right-field fence to extend the Mets' lead to 3–0. It was the 202nd home run of his career—and his first in the uniform of his new team.

As the ball cleared the fence, Soto turned and appeared to admire his handiwork—taking two steps in an uncharacteristically slow gait before breaking into his home-run trot.

Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with New York on Dec. 11—the most lucrative in the history of world sport.

The 2025 season is young, but home runs like this one on a regular basis will go a long way toward justifying a gamble for both the team and its franchise player.