Juan Soto’s record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets has drawn varied reactions, including a controversial take from former Yankees hitting coach Sean Casey. While appearing on his podcast The Mayor’s Office, Casey discussed the Mets’ newest superstar, blending praise for Soto’s offensive prowess with criticism of his perceived shortcomings.
Ex-Yankees coach rationalizes Juan Soto’s departure: ‘Not much of a winner’
Casey, who coached the Yankees for part of the 2023 season, acknowledged Soto’s hitting ability but downplayed the impact of losing him, offering Yankees fans reasons not to lament his departure.
“Juan Soto is an unbelievable hitter,” Casey said on Dec. 18. “But make no mistake, a big part of his success last year was Aaron Judge hitting behind him. Anybody around Judge is going to have an incredible year.”
The former coach pointed out how Judge’s presence benefits teammates, suggesting it contributed to Soto’s career-best season in 2024, when he hit a career-high 41 home runs and posted a .288/.419/.569 slash line. Soto also drove in 109 runs and recorded a career-best OPS+ of 178. Casey believes Judge’s ability to elevate those around him could also help new Yankees addition Cody Bellinger reclaim his MVP form.
Casey delved deeper into the dynamics between Judge and Soto, highlighting how the duo fed off each other. However, his remarks took a critical turn when he implied Soto’s lack of winning pedigree.
“But Juan Soto has also been on teams that didn’t win,” Casey remarked. “Look at his time in San Diego. They had (Manny) Machado and (Fernando) Tatis, and they still didn’t win. I don’t even know if they made the playoffs one year.”
While Casey’s comment about Juan Soto’s time with the Padres holds some truth—the team finished a disappointing 82-80 in 2023 despite their star-studded roster—it ignores Soto’s broader accomplishments. At just 26 years old, Soto has reached the playoffs three times and won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. In contrast, Judge has made eight playoff appearances in his career but has only reached the World Series once, losing in 2023.
Casey revisited the topic on his podcast’s Dec. 20 episode, drawing a comparison between Soto and the Yankees’ latest acquisition, Paul Goldschmidt, signed to a one-year, $12 million deal.
“Juan Soto’s numbers were definitely inflated this year with Aaron Judge hitting behind him,” Casey asserted. “If you put Goldschmidt in that lineup with some heavy hitters, I guarantee his production would skyrocket.”
Despite Casey’s critiques, Juan Soto’s 2024 season was undeniably elite. Whether his performance was influenced by Judge or not, the Mets are banking on Soto to anchor their lineup for years to come. Meanwhile, the Yankees seem content to move forward, pinning their hopes on Judge and a retooled roster featuring players like Bellinger and Goldschmidt.
The debate over Juan Soto’s value may rage on, but for now, he’s wearing Mets orange and blue, while the Yankees focus on their own championship aspirations.
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