While the money certainly didn't hurt, Juan Soto has made abundantly clear that he chose for New York Mets for lots of reasons that didn't have anything to do with the 15-year, $765 million contract he was handed by Steve Cohen. Overall, Soto was clearly looking for a different, warmer vibe than the one that he found in the Bronx, whether that meant better treatment and accommodations for his family or closer relationships with his teammates — teammates who had conspicuously little contact with Soto once the New York Yankees' season ended in the World Series.
Soto seemed to find that vibe in Queens, where the owner treats players like family and Soto's own family would be taken care of and then some. And just a few days into his tenure with the Mets, it's already looking like he made the right call. At least, he seems to be getting along a whole lot better in this clubhouse than he did in his old one.
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Juan Soto gifts Brett Baty a car in exchange for his No. 22
Soto has worn the No. 22 for the entirety of his MLB career, spanning stints with three different franchises. Clearly it's important to him, and the Mets themselves leaned into it at his introductory p press conference. There was just one tiny hiccup: The No. 22 was already occupied in Queens, by infielder and former top prospect Brett Baty.
Obviously, a player of Soto's stature usually finds a way to get what he wants. But Soto didn't want to just barge in and start barking out orders. He made sure to make the swap worth Baty's while, surprising him with a new car at spring training on Thursday.
Is this largely a photo-op for PR purposes? Of course; there's a reason that a camera was ready to capture it for the Mets' Instagram account, and it's not as though Soto has found 25 new best friends after just a few days working out with his new team. But it does certainly feel like the vibe is different than it was with the Yankees, where things seemed to be a whole lot more business-like between Soto, Aaron Judge and the rest of a relatively buttoned-up locker room. Soto turned down a whole bunch of money to go elsewhere, and it seems like he made the right call.