Day by day, Juan Soto’s stunning move to the Mets is starting to settle in for the Yankees. The baseball world has weighed in on Soto’s decision to decline the Yankees’ 16-year, $760 million offer and instead sign a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets. Yet, little has been heard from his former Yankees teammates.
Soto explained that the reason he hasn’t been in contact with any Yankees players is simple: he changed his phone number. Still, fans have been curious to know what Yankees players think about the situation.
That curiosity led a young fan to ask Giancarlo Stanton directly this week. In a video posted by Bleacher Report’s TikTok account on December 17, Stanton was seen chatting with fans. One kid cut straight to the point:
“Are you sad that Soto is on the Mets?”
“You’d wish he was with us. Are you sad?” Stanton replied.
When the kid nodded, Stanton reassured him: “We’ll be alright. We’ll be alright.”
Stanton’s confidence in the Yankees is clear. With the money New York had earmarked for Soto now available, the team may find new opportunities to improve elsewhere.
The timing of the conversation was ironic. On Tuesday, the Yankees officially announced the addition of Max Fried, a move that quieted concerns among fans and insiders over the delay in offseason activity.
What did Juan Soto say about Yankees players?
As previously mentioned, Soto made waves when he revealed he hadn’t spoken to any Yankees players since the World Series ended. Many Yankees fans are still stunned that Soto chose not to re-sign after a 94-win season alongside stars like Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. According to Soto, however, relationships and communication turned strictly professional once the season concluded.
When asked whether he had spoken to his former teammates during free agency and if they had reached out to him, Soto was direct:
“I haven’t talked to any of those guys,” Soto said. “We talked through the playoffs, at the end of the playoffs. But after that, through this process, I haven’t talked to any of those guys.”
The media and fans continue to search for answers beyond the obvious financial reasons behind Soto’s decision to join the Mets. One reported sticking point was the Yankees’ refusal to include a ballpark suite in their offer, a perk the Mets were willing to accommodate.
Soto’s comments have sparked questions about whether there was enough camaraderie within the Yankees to entice him to return.
Still, Soto took time to thank Yankees fans during his news conference:
“I just want to say thank you to them,” Soto said. “They really showed me all the love and everything that they have. They were right there, day in and day out. They really have a spot in my heart at the end of the day.”
Following some backlash to his remarks, Soto later clarified that the lack of communication with Yankees players was due to him changing his phone number.
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