Juan Soto is officially a New York Met.
The 26-year-old outfielder, who signed the largest contract in baseball history with the team earlier this week, was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday. Mets owner Steve Cohen, general manager David Stearns, and agent Scott Boras attended the press conference, all sporting big smiles. However, Soto’s smile faded when a certain team was mentioned.
The New York Yankees.
Yes, really. You can even see it for yourself.
“I haven’t talked to any of those guys,” Soto said, according to SNY. “(I) talked to them throughout the playoffs, but after that, I haven’t talked to any of them.”
The surprising revelation didn’t elicit audible gasps but certainly added tension to the room. New York’s notoriously sharp media didn’t press for immediate follow-ups, but Soto addressed the topic further in a post-conference interview.
“I want to say thank you,” Soto said when asked if he had a message for Yankees fans. “They really showed me all the love and everything that they have. They have a spot in my heart.”
When asked about his former Yankees teammate Aaron Judge, Soto added, “We’re still friends, we’re still cool. It’s just business. The relationship that we created last year will stay forever.”
The Yankees, who already feel the sting of losing a generational talent, likely won’t enjoy being reminded of it. And hearing Soto’s reflections might make it even worse. It’s a challenging time to be in The Bronx.
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