NEW YORK (AP) — Fans rose to their feet for Juan Soto’s Yankee Stadium return in a rare standing jeer, and he responded by taking off his helmet, tipping it to the crowd and touching it against his heart.
Having spurned the Yankees’ riches for the Mets’ even greater fortunes, Soto was the center of attention back in the Bronx, wearing bright orange wristbands that could be spotted from the farthest seats.
“I talked to him a couple of days ago and he’s ready. He knows what’s coming,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said before Friday night’s Subway Series matchup. “He’s just got to enjoy it, embrace it and be himself.”
Soto walked in the first inning against Carlos Rodón and stole second but was stranded. When he jogged to right field in the bottom half, some of the Bleacher Creatures turned their backs on him.
Yankees fans had wanted him to remain in their lineup, hitting second ahead of Aaron Judge. New York acquired Soto from San Diego in December 2023 and he helped them reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. Then he left the Bronx as a free agent after one season in pinstripes for a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets, a team with two World Series titles to the Yankees’ 27.
Soto turned down a $760 million, 16-year offer from the Yankees, feeling more appreciated when Mets owner Steve Cohen included personal security for the outfielder and his family, free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets.
Used to getting nearly every player their team pursued, Yankees fans were enraged.
“It’ll be interesting. I’m sure there’ll be some creativity in there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “I just want everyone to come and have a good time and be safe and not take things too far.”
Both teams lead their divisions going into the first of six Subway Series matchups this season, the Yankees atop the AL East at 25-18 and the Mets first in the NL East at 28-16.
“This year is unique obviously because of all the news and storylines around Juan the last couple of years, so you understand that ratchets up the intensity of it,” Boone said.
Soto entered with a .255 batting average, eight homers, 20 RBIs and an .845 OPS in 43 games, down from a .313 average, nine homers, 34 RBIs and a .947 OPS through the same number of games last year.
He hit .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks last year, batting second in the order ahead of Judge in a 21st century version of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Soto hit a go-ahead homer in the AL Championship Series opener against Cleveland and a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the 10th inning that won the pennant against the Guardians in Game 5.
“Juan obviously was only here for a year, but what he was able to do and what he meant for the team last year was huge,” said pitcher Clay Holmes, who followed Soto from the Bronx to Queens. “He’s across town. There’s people that probably don’t like that.”
After losing Soto, the Yankees pivoted and signed Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt, and acquired Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger in trades.
Soto received his first boos about 1 hour, 40 minutes earlier, when he went to right field during batting practice, cap backward in the style of Ken Griffey Jr. The Mets said Soto wouldn’t speak with reporters until after the game.
“I had a pretty good seat back in 2022 when Houston came over here and I felt like the louder the boos got, those guys raised their game,” said Mendoza, a coach for Boone from 2018-23.. “Somebody’s able to handle it, it’s Juan Soto.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
