As the MLB regular season approaches, one of the biggest stories of the offseason was Juan Soto’s high-stakes free agency. The star outfielder’s decision to leave the New York Yankees for the New York Mets on a staggering 15-year, $765 million contract sparked widespread debate. While money played a significant role, many questioned why Soto would walk away from an already competitive, big-market team for another.
Sure, the Mets’offer was massive—but this is the Yankees. Would they really refuse to match a deal from their crosstown rivals? There had to be more to the story.
Juan Soto Had Long-Term Doubts About the Yankees
Now that Soto has officially joined the Mets, the Yankees can do nothing about losing him. The decision is final.
Still, Soto recently spoke to Sports Illustrated and revealed that the Yankees were actually his first choice. However, after weighing his options, he developed concerns about the Yankees’ ability to sustain success long-term, especially when compared to the Mets’ aggressive spending under owner Steve Cohen.
“The Yankees were No. 1. From Day One,”Soto admitted.“As you see how long this contract is going to be, it just came down to that decision, you know? What do they have in the farm system? How many times can we be good on this team? I know the Yankees are going to be good for the next five, six years. We don’t know after that.”
While the Yankees made it to the World Series last season—something the Mets did not—Soto has put his faith in Cohen’s vision.“He gives him all my trust,”Soto stated, making it clear that he believes in the Mets,’ long-term stability.
Over the next decade and beyond, the baseball world will watch closely to see if Soto’s bold decision pays off—not in Yankees’ pinstripes, but in a Mets uniform.
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