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In the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on August 18, 2024, Juan Soto is seen on deck for the New York Yankees against the Detroit Tigers.
No amount of money should be able to sway loyalty.
Juan Soto could have been a Yankees’ legend. “Re-sign Soto!” That chant would fill Yankee Stadium after he hit his second home run of the night. As he rounded the bases, his face would light up and he would point to the stands, acknowledging the love the crowd has for him. Everyone thought Soto had finally found his team.
He looked proud to be in pinstripes and was one of the main reasons the Yanks made it to the 2024 World Series. At 25, he had more than a decade of accomplishments ahead of him. Calculating the pace of his early success, he could have been in Monument Park next to Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.
Then he left.
According to Jeff Passen at ESPN, Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. When he signed, he became the highest-paid player in history in all sports. He has confused his love for the game with the worship of the almighty dollar.
December 8 is the worst date for Yankees fans. Soto just had his best season statistically, leading Major League Baseball (MLB) in various categories such as on-base percentage, slugging, and walks. Then he left the Yankees for an extra $3 million. His contract is the biggest in history, more than the Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, even more than Dodger’s superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Without a doubt, Soto’s ability to read pitches and work the plate makes him a great role model for younger players. His 41 homeruns, 109 runs batted in (known as RBIs), and .288 batting average prove this. But in all other areas, such as fielding and base running, his talents are not worth that amount of money. The number of dropped pop-ups and the number of forced outs due to his baserunning should have made the Mets think twice before offering him a spot on their roster.
Despite being adored across the nation, Soto has proven his heart is not in the game but is attached to the money. He led the Yankees to their first World Series in 15 years, and then he signs with their cross-town rival, a team that has not made it to the October Classic since 1986. With the Mets, he has no strong pitching to support him. He does not have the same amount of support that the Yankees gave him.
Soto has made the biggest mistake of his career, and since he has a “money-hungry” mindset, Mets fans should not be shocked if he leaves once the next fat check gets thrown at him.