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Juan Soto had a rocky return to Yankee Stadium during the Rivalry Series as Yankees fans made it clear how they felt about his departure.
Soto signed with the Mets in the offseason on massive $765 million contract after Steve Cohen and company outbid the Yankees. However, some believe Soto's actions in the weekend series made it evident he wishes he stayed with the Yankees.
"The man is downright miserable," wrote Bob Klapsich for NJ.com (subscription required). "Although Soto said he was ready for the homecoming, he was shell-shocked by the time Sunday night rolled around. Three sell-out crowds broke him."
Soto's demeanor worsened as the weekend went on, and his frustrations were obvious by the end of it. Yankees fans continued to show their disdain for him, and Soto's 1-10 weekend turned things from bad to worse.
However, the icing on the cake came during Sunday Night Baseball.
"He'd agreed to be (mic'd) up by ESPN in the second inning, but changed his mind minutes before the game," wrote Klapsich. .... "Most major leaguers jump at the chance for the easy Q-A on a national broadcast. They're designed to make the players look good. The fact that Soto blew off the network was only the first sign of his darkening state of mind."
After the game ended, Soto reportedly left the clubhouse without answering any questions from reporters. The face of the franchise for the Mets appears as if he doesn't even want to be there.
"These are troubling signs for the Mets' hierarchy," wrote Klapsich. "I'm told they're concerned about Soto's lack of enthusiasm for his new team. The only time Soto seemed happy this weekend was while he interacted with Judge, Aaron Boone and Jazz Chisholm during batting practice. As I said, I'm no mind reader, but my hunch is that not only does Soto miss the Yankees, the permanence of his decision is sinking in. Soto is staring at another 14-plus years in Flushing."
It is important to note that Soto has an opt-out in his contract after the 2029 season. He would walk away from $460 million if he left the Mets at the end of that year, but it's something he may consider if he remains unhappy with the Mets.
It's now up to Steve Cohen and company to help make him happy until that time comes.
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About the writer
Drew VonScio is a Newsweek contributor based in Pittsburgh, PA. His focus is on MLB content. Drew has been with ... Read more