Juan Soto signed a $765 million contract with the Mets on Dec. 11, which started a controversy.
Soto’s decision to sign with the Mets despite his World Series run with the New York Yankees is horrible for the game. It shows his disloyalty to the Yankees and his money-hungry playstyle.
Soto’s disloyalty to the Yankees was expressed by many fans, including Nick Turturro, who showed his displeasure and anger at Soto’s signing with the Mets for a higher price in Randy Miller’s “Yankees react to fans now despising Juan Soto for picking Mets.”
“I’m taking it personal! We gave you our love! We gave you our (bleeping) heart and soul! It wasn’t enough! “You don’t even choose the Dodgers! You go off-Broadway to the Mets. You don’t wanna be on Broadway? You don’t wanna be Judge’s partner. That’s it.” Turturro stated
It is evident that Soto is playing for money rather than for the love of his team and the game. The 15-year, $765 million deal Soto signed with the New York Mets could end up a total bust, and Soto leaving the Yankees for a higher contract shows how he is playing for money rather than for the love of his team and the game.
Sports journalist Brendan Kuty criticizes Juan Soto’s departure from the Yankees, arguing it demonstrates disloyalty to fans and a missed opportunity for a historic legacy. Kuty highlights the potential of Soto and Aaron Judge, comparing their partnership to the legendary Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He notes that Soto had previously expressed his love for the Yankees and his desire to join the ranks of their all-time greats. Kuty suggests Soto prioritized a larger contract over becoming a “forever Yankee.”
At the end of the day, however, some may say that Soto deserves the money. It’s a contract fit for the game’s best hitter. MLB.com states that Soto completed his age-25 season and already has 201 home runs, five Silver Slugger Awards and a batting title under his name with a possible 10+ more years to go. He owns a .285/.421/.532 career slash line in 4,088 career plate appearances. His on-base percentage is ranked best among active.
Had Soto remained with the Yankees, he and Aaron Judge would have formed a legendary offensive duo. Now, with the Mets, Soto becomes the team’s star player. This contrasts with the Yankees, a World Series-caliber team, versus the Mets, who fell just short of the World Series.
Soto’s decision to sign the $765 million contract with the Mets despite his World Series run with the Yankees shows his disloyalty and greed. Player loyalty in baseball is slowly being forgotten, and players like Soto are a prime example of how contracts like these ruin the game.
MLB Players: Remember your fans, who you are as a player, and what you are playing for. Don’t throw away a World Series-winning team for a higher contract.
Works Cited
AOL is part of the Yahoo family of brands. (n.d.). https://www.aol.com/didnt-talk-those-guys-signing-214001630.html
Kuty, B. (2024, December 9). Mets sign Juan Soto: 3 biggest reasons it’s a major disappointment for Yankees. The Athletic. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5961373/2024/12/08/yankees-juan-soto-free-agency-disappointment/
Bryan Hoch, MLB.com. (2024, December 9). How Soto fits Mets, the market impact, and more. MLB.com. https://www.mlb.com/news/juan-soto-signing-with-mets-mlb-analysis
Randy Miller, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com & Randy Miller, rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. (2024, December 11). Yankees react to fans now despising Juan Soto for picking Mets. Nj. https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/12/yankees-react-to-fans-now-despising-juan-soto-for-picking-mets.html
The Learning Network. (2024, December 11). $765 MILLION CONTRACT Superstar slugger Juan Soto agreed to a $765 million deal, the biggest in pro sports history. Is he — or anybody — worth it? The New York Times. Retrieved December 13, 2024, from https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/learning/765-million-contract.html
