When the New York Yankees and New York Mets were set to face off this past weekend, fans already anticipated how Juan Soto would be received in his first return to the Bronx. Turned backs, a chorus of boos, and perhaps even a Yankees fan throwing Sotoās home-run ball back onto the field ā adding a bit more dirt to home plate than usual.
Instead, Soto went just 1-for-10 at the plate, including three strikeouts, zero RBIs, and a dip in his batting average to .246. For a hefty $51 million per year, over 40,000 roaring Yankees fans witnessed the outcome they had hoped for ā confirmation that Juan Soto might be better off elsewhere. After all, how would a team fresh off a World Series appearance pivot after losing their top free agent to the Mets?
Yankees offseason paid off without Juan Soto
Immediately following Sotoās departure, the Yankees acted quickly, signing left-handed pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract ā the largest ever for a left-handed pitcher in MLB history. While some viewed the move as risky after what was considered a down year with the Atlanta Braves, Fried has more than proven his worth.
Heading into Sunday nightās "Game of the Week," Fried tallied eight strikeouts, two walks, three hits, and two earned runs over six innings ā technically his worst start of the season. Even so, Fried finished the game with a remarkable 1.29 ERA, still the best in the majors. Maintaining his dominance from the mound, the 31-year-old now boasts a 6-0 record, with the Yankees going 9-1 in games where heās made an appearance.
Paul Goldschmidt has been everything Yankees could ask for
When general manager Brian Cashman made the decision not to re-sign Anthony Rizzo for the 2025 season, attention quickly shifted to Paul Goldschmidt. The 37-year-old veteran, coming off his worst season with the St. Louis Cardinals, seemed to be entering the twilight of his career.
Yet, any doubts about Goldschmidtās fit with the Yankees quickly faded. Currently batting .339 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 46 games, Goldschmidt played a key role in the teamās two wins this weekend. On Friday night, he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and in the series finale, he delivered an insurance run during the Yankeesā six-run eighth inning ā stretching the lead to 4-2 and securing the victory.
Cody Bellinger has blossomed in May
If the saying 'April showers bring May flowers' applies to anyone, itās Cody Bellinger. After a slow start to the season, batting just .182 with 24 strikeouts in April, there were concerns the Yankees had made a mistake trading for the former Chicago Cub and 2019 N.L. MVP. However, flipping the calendar to May brought out a different Bellinger, now hitting .351 with four home runs and 12 RBIs.
In the Yankees' rubber match showdown, Bellinger made an immediate impact with a two-run RBI double in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Seven innings later, with the bases loaded and a chance to put the game out of reach, Bellinger crushed a first-pitch grand slam to extend the lead to 8-2 ā sealing the win against their Subway Series rivals.
Round 1 in the Books
The Yankees didnāt just silence the narrative that Juan Soto would have his revenge; they backed it up with strong performances from all their offseason acquisitions when it mattered most. Whether it was Fried, Bellinger, or Goldschmidt coming through in the clutch, the Yankees sent their fans home satisfied and reassured that everything would be just fine.
With round one in the books, the Yankees will wait until the Fourth of July weekend to see if they can put the final nail in the coffin against their crosstown rivals.