The ongoing drama revolving around Juan Soto continues, with his latest outburst regarding his All Star snub causing quiet a stir, the $700M man is more upset about losing the money than making the roster. He is fast becoming the most hated man in the MLB.
“It’s a Lot of Money”: Juan Soto Bonus Blunder Sparks Backlash
Juan Soto, newly-minted outfielder for the New York Mets and owner of a contract so massive it could buy Staten Island ($765 million, with incentives that could push it over $800 million), says something this week that gets people talking. He admits — kind of lightheartedly — that yeah, he was a little bummed about not making the All-Star Game. But not just because of the prestige, the fanfare, the fireworks, no, because “it’s a lot of money on the table.”
Enter Michael Kay, longtime voice of the Yankees and no stranger to hot takes. On his radio show, he wasn’t having it. Not one bit. “Talk about being tone deaf,” he snapped, noting that Soto is making just under $47 million this season — and he’s upset about missing a $100,000 bonus tied to the All-Star Game? Kay practically couldn’t believe it was real. He even joked that it sounded like something an AI deepfake would spit out.
Tone-Deaf or Just Honest? Depends Who You Ask
To Kay’s point — and this is where things get spicy — perception does matter. Fans hearing a superstar talking about missing a six-figure bonus when most people are working two jobs to pay rent? Yeah, not exactly a heartwarming underdog story.
But let’s also pump the brakes for a second. Soto wasn’t exactly throwing a tantrum on the dugout steps. From the way it was reported, he was being honest — maybe even a little tongue-in-cheek — when asked how he felt about being left off the roster. And let’s not forget, the man’s been raking lately: .336 average, 1.171 OPS, 13 bombs over 35 games? That’s All-Star material, even if the early-season slump buried him in the voting.
Yankees vs. Mets, Round Infinity: Kay Keeps the Heat On
Still, Kay brings some old-school energy here — this “read-the-room” kind of critique that taps into a broader tension in sports. Athletes today, especially mega-paid ones, are more open than ever about the business side of things. But sometimes that openness runs headfirst into a wall of traditional expectations. And when you’re a former Yankee who left town for the crosstown Mets after helping the Bronx Bombers reach the World Series, well, emotions stay raw.
Whether Soto claps back or lets it slide remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: this won’t be the last we hear about it. Because in New York — where the tabloids are brutal, the fans are passionate, and the sports radio lines are never quiet — even a $100K comment can feel like a million-dollar controversy.
