Heading into the 2025 season, fans were buzzing about the idea of Francisco Lindor becoming the New York Mets’ official team captain; the first since David Wright wore the “C” in 2018. It wasn’t just the fanbase either; former Mets captain John Franco weighed in on Instagram, calling Lindor “a great choice from one captain to another,” responding to Lindor’s own comments from June. At the time, Lindor acknowledged his leadership role but remained humble about the captaincy.
“I do feel like I’m one of the leaders of the team. But there is a lot of leaders in [the clubhouse], you know,” Lindor said. “The captain thing is something that is not up for me to decide. If it does happen, it would be fantastic. It would be an honor… Something that would put me next to the greats of this organization forever.” He also added, “My job though would not change… I’m gonna still go out there and hold guys accountable, I’m gonna expect a lot out of myself too, and I expect guys to see me doing something that’s not right to come up to me and tell me as well and continue to lead.”
But Juan Soto sees things differently. In comments to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the slugger made it clear who he believes runs the clubhouse.
“[Starling Marte is] literally the leader of this team, I feel like he’s actually the captain of this team,” Soto said. “He’s bringing everybody together. He’s bringing the energy that we need. He’s a guy who has been stepping up every single time, it doesn’t matter what. 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’s endorsement of Marte highlights just how deep the Mets’ leadership runs. While fans and media will debate Lindor’s potential “C,” Soto’s comments are a reminder that sometimes the captain isn’t just a title—it’s how a player leads every single day, on and off the field.