Juan Soto is bracing for quite the reception as he gears up for his much-anticipated return to Yankee Stadium this Friday night, where the New York Mets will face off against the Yankees in what promises to be a captivating three-game series between two division leaders.
After parting ways with the Yankees just six weeks following their World Series loss, Soto signed a jaw-dropping 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. He knows that when he steps onto the field, all eyes will be on him, and he is more than aware that the Bronx crowd won’t exactly be rolling out the welcome mat.
“It’s going to be 50,000 against one,” Soto acknowledged, reflecting on the likelihood of fans voicing their opinions. “They’re going to try to get on me, you know. It’s part of it. Whatever they do, they have a right to do it.”
Soto’s exit from the Yankees was far from sudden. It followed months of back-and-forth speculation about his future—particularly during a postseason run that saw the Yankees make their first World Series appearance since 2009. His bond with the fans during that stretch was undeniable, often punctuated by raucous “re-sign Soto” chants echoing through the stadium.
Ultimately, Soto decided to reject the Yankees’ monumental 16-year, $760 million offer in favor of the record-setting deal with the Mets. He’s settling into his new role in Queens without regrets. “No, no. I made a decision, and I’m happy that I made it,” Soto shared. “You look around. We have an unbelievable team. And it’s going to be a good team for a long time.”
Currently, he’s batting .255 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs, picking up steam with a .289 average (13-for-45) over his past 12 games after a slower start to the season. Positioned second in the lineup, Soto has regularly batted between Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso—though he took a breather during a recent 4-0 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Mets have dominated the league, holding first place since April 11 and accumulating a solid 6-3 record over their last nine contests. On the other side, the Yankees pivoted from their pursuit of Soto to sign veteran talents like starting pitcher Max Fried, seven-time All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and two-time All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger. These strategic moves bolstered a lineup already packed with firepower, notably featuring six-time All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge, who is currently tops in the majors with a .412 batting average, 15 home runs, and 41 RBIs.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed enthusiasm for the rivalry weekend: “I think it’ll be really exciting for the fan bases, especially all that’s going on in New York right now with the Knicks hopefully on the verge of a series win and us playing the Mets and all that goes with that. Hopefully, the weather is good and it provides for an exciting weekend for our city.”
Soto himself echoed Boone’s excitement, predicting that his return to Yankee Stadium will be a memorable experience. “It’s going to be fun,” he said. “We’re going to have a good time.”
With the stakes high and the atmosphere electric, this weekend’s series is bound to deliver plenty of drama and intrigue, especially as both teams vie for supremacy in a fiercely competitive division.
