Juan Soto is set to face the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, marking his first game against his former team since turning down a record-breaking $760 million contract extension with the club.
Soto, who signed a 16-year, $765 million deal with the Mets in February, had reportedly been offered a no-trade clause and a $75 million signing bonus by Steve Cohen’s team. During his introductory press conference on Monday, he expressed interest in returning to the Yankees.
"I felt every team has the same opportunity," Soto said when asked if any particular club held an edge over others. "I think that’s what I like about baseball. You can play for any team you want."
However, he ultimately chose to sign with the Mets instead of rejoining his former teammates in New York City.
Soto’s Performance and Impact
The 25-year-old outfielder was one of baseball’s most coveted free agents this offseason after helping lead San Diego to its first World Series appearance last year. His performance included:
- Batting Average: .272
- Home Runs: 32
- RBIs: 68
Soto was traded to Washington as part of a blockbuster deal that sent Josh Bell and Blake Snell from San Diego back east. He made an instant impact for Washington, hitting:
- Batting Average: .279
- Home Runs: 3
- RBIs: 6
This was achieved in just eight games before signing with New York on February 13. He then played just two games for Washington before joining new teammates Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil at spring training camp in Port St. Louis.
Mets’ Anticipation and Challenges
The Mets have been looking forward to seeing Soto take the field against their arch-rivals all season long. However, they will face challenges as they try to contain him without Aaron Judge or Anthony Rizzo, who are unavailable due to injury or illness, respectively.
"We’re excited," manager Buck Showalter said ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup between these two teams, both currently atop their respective divisions. "We’ve got some guys we’re going to throw out there that will give us some chances."
When asked about the difficulty of facing Soto without Judge or Rizzo, Showalter acknowledged the challenge:
"It would be tough," Showalter said. "But we’ve got other guys we can use."
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