As he prepares for his first season with the New York Mets, Juan Soto reflected on his decision to join his former team’s crosstown rival—a move that made him the highest-paid player in professional sports history—calling it a “family decision.”
“I can’t complain about Yankees fans. They were amazing, day in and day out, throughout last season,” Soto told NBC’s TODAY in an interview aired Monday.
“I really appreciate not only Yankees fans but also the Dominican community. They showed incredible support, and I was really happy about that,” he added.
During his lone season with the Yankees, the 26-year-old outfielder and four-time All-Star hit a career-high 41 home runs. Just over a month after the Yankees’ season ended with a World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Soto signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets in December. The deal surpassed Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s contract as the richest in MLB history, and according to ESPN, a clause in the agreement could push its total value beyond $800 million.
“I mean, they tried as hard as they could, but things happen, you know?” Soto told TODAY. “You have to go through a lot of things. It was a full family decision, and we felt this was the best one. They really tried, but we just couldn’t get it done.”
Soto, who has already appeared in two World Series in his first seven seasons, will now look to help the Mets capture their first championship since 1986. Last season, New York tied for second in their division, defeated Milwaukee in the wild-card round, and eliminated Philadelphia in the NLDS before falling to the Dodgers in six games in the NLCS.
The Mets are “really close to getting back to the top,” Soto said. “We have what we need to be up there. I’m not a magician who can predict what will happen this year, but we’re going to be in the mix.”
Mets general manager David Stearns told CNBC in January that it’s rare for a player as accomplished as Soto to become a free agent so early in his career. That rarity created a unique opportunity to sign “a generational ballplayer,” Mets owner Steve Cohen said in December.
Soto acknowledged that his record-breaking contract comes with high expectations for both him and the team, but he remains focused on staying true to himself.
“The Mets signed me for who I am, so I’m gonna keep being who I am,” Soto said. “That’s the biggest thing for me. I don’t want to try to do more or carry everything on my back. I just have to keep doing what I’ve done since day one. That’s how I keep the pressure off.”