Whether it's Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC, FOX Sports or even FanSided, Juan Soto's press tour won't end anytime soon. However, the past week has been...a lot of Soto coverage. Yankees fans must be just about sick of it, as Soto was asked about his decision to leave the Bronx in every conversation.
For the most part, Soto opted against trading punches with his crosstown rival, but there were a few viral quotes which could come back to haunt the Mets. In Jeff Passan's latest for ESPN, the MLB Insider even reference the Braves and Phillies, and how their outlook supposedly changes now that Soto is a Met.
"Soto's presence alone made the sun shine a little brighter, the bat crack a little louder, the loaded NL East -- with Atlanta and Philadelphia teams also harboring World Series aspirations -- a little less intimidating," Passan wrote.
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Juan Soto hype machine has reached the Braves and Phillies
While that surely sounds promising from the Mets perspective, is it all true? The NL East remains a gauntlet, with the Braves and Phillies expected to compete with the Mets for the division crown. New York has been dealt a tough injury hand to start the season, as Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas will start the season hurt. Meanwhile, the Braves are getting Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. back early in the campaign, and the Phillies are the reigning division champions for a reason.
Manaea, whose start to the season will be delayed, even went as far as to compare Soto's influence to that of Shohei Ohtani.
"We saw it last year with the Dodgers getting Shohei," said Manaea, per ESPN. Passan went on to write "what Ohtani is to the Dodgers, Soto can be for the Mets. And his desire for that -- for everything baseball has to offer -- helped guide him toward that ultimate decision."
That is a bold statement, and one that could easily come back to haunt the Mets if they fail to live up to expectations. By mentioning the Braves and Phillies by name, Passan has ensured the Soto hype machine reaches their doorstep.
Atlanta and Philadelphia has the talent to make the Mets pay. Buying a division crown isn't so easy after all.