Juan Soto to Queens? Yeah, it’s still sinking in — and if you’re a Yankees fan, you might want to look away for this one. Not only did Soto choose the Mets, but he also started his free agency journey, fully expecting to stay in the Bronx.
That’s right: the Yankees were his top choice. That’s coming straight from Soto himself in a new, eye-popping piece by Tom Verducci for Sports Illustrated.
“The Yankees Were No. 1” — Until They Weren’t
Let’s start with the quote that’ll haunt Yankee Stadium for the rest of the decade. “The Yankees were No. 1,” Soto told Verducci. “From Day One.” It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Soto — the same guy who helped the Yanks get within sniffing distance of a World Series in 2024 — wanted to run it back in pinstripes.
And yet here we are. He headed to Queens instead, and the Bronx Bombers are left wondering what went wrong. To make matters worse for those still looking for someone to blame, the slugger cleared the air on a couple of rumored “reasons” that supposedly pushed him out the door. That whole security guard vs. his mom situation? Totally overblown.
The Yankees’ refusal to give him a complimentary stadium suite? Didn’t matter. “I just want to make that clear,” Soto said. “None of that changed my view.” So what did change his view?
Steve Cohen Showed Up — and Showed Out
Enter Mets owner Steve Cohen, who basically walked into the Soto sweepstakes and said, “We’re not messing around.” According to Soto, it wasn’t just about the contract — it was the effort. Cohen made the pursuit personal. He made the family feel seen. And in a high-stakes decision like this, that made all the difference.
“I mean, the effort that he puts in,” Soto said of Cohen. “They put my family into it. My family, and the way they take care of everything.” That kind of attention to detail doesn’t just land superstars — it builds loyalty. And with the superstar entering his prime years, that relationship matters just as much as the money.
The Mets Sold a Future to Juan Soto — Not Just a Contract
The Mets didn’t just outbid the Yankees; they outpitched them on vision. Soto clearly believes in the direction the team is heading, the infrastructure being built, and the commitment from ownership to create a winning environment. For a player who’s already hoisted a World Series trophy, that’s important.
So now the Bronx loses a generational bat, and Queens picks one up. It’s not just a free agency signing — it’s a full-on power shift in New York baseball. And while Yankees fans will replay the “what ifs” for years to come, Mets fans can enjoy the reality: Juan Soto is theirs. And it sounds like that’s exactly how he wanted it.
