Oct 18, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates after hitting a two run home run with outfielder Aaron Judge (99) in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game four of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

mlb

Juan Soto Admits Yankees Were Early Frontrunners Before Choosing Mets

"The Yankees were No. 1. From Day One"

Mentioning Juan Soto around Yankees fans is bound to be a sore subject. The team sacrificed significant depth to acquire him, only to see him walk away in free agency.

The Mets ultimately secured Soto this offseason, and now he’s shedding light on why he picked Queens over The Bronx.

In a recent Sports Illustrated feature, Soto credited Mets owner Steve Cohen not just for his willingness to spend but for fostering a welcoming, family-oriented environment within the organization. He also expressed concerns about the Yankees’ long-term competitiveness.

“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.”

Soto played a pivotal role in helping the Yankees reach their first World Series since 2009 during his lone season in pinstripes, batting ahead of Aaron Judge. His initial preference was to stay in the Bronx, but he ultimately moved on.

“The Yankees were No. 1. From Day One”

This aligns with his previous remarks when he signed with the Mets in December, stating they provided him with “the best chances” to compete for a championship over the course of his historic 15-year, $765 million deal.

ALSO READ: Yankees Opening Day 2025: Predicted Starting Lineup

The Yankees were in contention until the end, reportedly offering him a 16-year, $760 million contract. However, Soto described the negotiation process as frustratingly indecisive.

“I mean, they made a pretty good effort. But we went back and forth with a lot of things. We tried our best.”

“I feel like the Yankees did a pretty good job. But they kept… they couldn’t get it done right. Like, I wanted to get it done, but they’re still bouncing around. ‘Here … at least that … maybe … maybe no … ’ instead of just getting it done right away. Yeah, just get it done.”

In the end, the New York Mets won and the Yankees were left with a drained farm and a lineup without Juan Soto.

Juan Soto

Mets

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.