When Juan Soto signed a $765 million contract with the rival New York Mets this winter, there was bound to be some fallout from the Yankees side of things. However, given the state of the NYC tabloids – seemingly always searching for that next soap opera – it was only a matter of time before Soto's name was dragged through the mud. While Soto and his ex-Yankees teammate have, for the most part, kept matters cordial on the field, the fans, media and front office have yet to oblige.
Soto's return to the Bronx was a week ago. Most baseball fans know how that went down – with Soto booed routinely and the Bleacher Creatures turning their back to him in the outfield, as if he had let the entire fanbase down – and it turns out Yankees fans may have a point. Little did we know, there was a time late in the Soto negotiations when the Yankees front office was certain he'd re-sign. only for Soto's family to convince him otherwise.
"The New York Yankees are convinced that Juan Soto was ready to re-sign with them on Dec. 11. He asked for a bit more time, was going to discuss it with his family during lunch, and the next thing they knew he was signing with the Mets after being persuaded by family members," Bob Nightengale wrote in his recent column.
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Inside Juan Soto's last-second Yankees betrayal
We don't know enough about the Yankees meetings with Soto to suggest he went back on his word, but from the perspective of the front office, it's understandable why they'd be upset. Soto's family and friends had an up-and-down relationship with the Yankees brass. Namely, those same people weren't given a private suite for games – something that can also be said about greats like Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge – and were even stopped by security, creating headaches for Soto throughout the season.
General baseball fans are tired of the Soto theatrics and storyline, but it won't end anytime soon. The longer Soto struggles in a Mets uniform (and he ought to return to form soon) the Yankees have the upper hand. Small bits of information like what was written by Nightengale on Sunday have a far greater impact because of the market size and characters involved.
The Yankees are one of the most valuable franchises in sports, while Soto is the richest man in baseball. It's a story made for Page Six, and it won't be the last. Betrayal always has a special place in our hearts, especially when it involves pinstripes.