He was the Juan that got away, and New York Yankees fans want him to know it.
Juan Soto was supposed to be the Bronx Bombers’ next big star to play alongside Aaron Judge. Instead, he bolted for Queens to join the New York Mets in free agency – one year after being dealt to the pinstripes.
On Friday night, Soto made his return to Yankee Stadium, playing in front of the fans that were chanting his name in support a year ago. Needless to say, they didn’t take too kindly to his presence this time around, showering the right fielder with boos.
The booing continued when he made his way out to the outfield in the bottom of the first.
It’s something that began before the game even started, with boos raining down when the Mets’ lineup was introduced.
The boos figure to be a theme all weekend, since it’s not often players play for both New York rivals in back-to-back years, especially players of Soto’s caliber.
The Mets inked Soto to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal, the biggest contract in sports history. Soto hasn’t played like an MVP candidate to this point, hitting eight home runs and totaling 20 RBI. He’s slashing .255/.380/.465 in the early part of the season, numbers that are all down from the last two seasons.
Regardless, Soto has still managed to make an impact on a Mets team that entered the day at 28-16, the second-most wins in baseball.
With Steve Cohen’s deep pockets, the Mets’ owners built a team that figures to be a World Series contender in 2025.
The Yankees also find themselves in a good spot post-Soto. They entered the day with a 25-18 record, sitting atop the AL East with the second-best record in the American League.
Losing out on Soto allowed the Yankees to spend on pieces that have added length to their lineup and bolstered their depth. Former Yankees pitcher Luis Severino, who played for the Mets last year, famously said that the 2024 version of the team was just Soto and Judge.
In 2025, the team from the Bronx can beat opponents in a variety of ways. They hope to make another World Series run of their own in what is a weak American League.
While it always hurts to lose players of Soto’s caliber, it might’ve been the best thing for both sides. Time will tell who wins in the end.