Juan Soto may have left the Bronx, but as it seems, the Bronx isn’t done with him yet. Lately, the headlines aren’t around his on-field swing, but it’s something far more personal that has everybody’s attention. It all traces back to the off-season chronicle of the two-way admiration between Yankees captain Aaron Judge and his former teammate, Juan Soto. And guess what? That narrative has now transformed into a wave of divided opinions over Soto’s loyalty to the New York Mets.
As he embraces his loyalty to the Mets, fans have been implying that he’s missing his time with the Yankees. But where is it all coming from? It stems from Soto’s recent interview, where he was asked about how it has been without hitting ahead of Judge. Soto, clueless of the aftermath, expressed his admiration for Judge. He reflected upon the protection he had while hitting ahead of Judge.
The thoughtful admiration spiraled into loud chaos in no time. He was accused of undermining his present slugging partner, Pete Alonso. It somehow suggested that Judge refine his presence. It reflected that Soto’s remark had downplayed Alonso despite his impressive start to the season.
Right after this widespread backlash and criticism, it came to notice that Juan Soto has reportedly unfollowed the New York Yankees on Instagram. It’s huge, especially in the world of professional sports. Just after the days of his reflective comments on Aaron Judge and his time with the Yankees, he eventually had to digitally part ways with the Yankees.
You see, Soto slammed 41 home runs in 2024 and was one of the top stars in free agency. Ultimately, he was fated to land a historic contract in baseball history. And he did.
Amidst the mounting pressure on Soto to prove his loyalty to the Mets, he had to make this decision. It was Soto’s personal choice to digitally separate himself from his former team. For now, Soto can’t escape the eyes that firmly want him to prove that he belongs in Queens.
Soto is grinding his way amidst the doubts
During the recent matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets, Soto made a subtle move to put an end to the sparked doubts over his loyalty to the Mets. His walk during the eighth inning masked the otherwise tough outing.
Since Soto’s debut with the Mets, he has appeared in 19 games this season. He had a batting average of .352 along with a 1.055 on-base percentage during his last season with the Yankees. This season with the Mets, he sits at .221 with three homers along with a .773 on-base percentage. This contrast can’t be ignored, right?
Soto reportedly stated, “I’ve been growing as a man through my whole career, and I just know things are going to change; I just have to keep grinding.” Undeniably, he has been showing promising signs. Against the Cardinals, his double-play ball left the bat at a legitimate 106.7 mph. Soto has noticed that without hitting ahead of Judge as he did in the 2024 season, the pitchers have approached him more cautiously. He is still adjusting to that.
Soto sure had a shaky start with the Mets, but his discipline has been elite. In the recent series against the Twins, he homered twice with the Mets. Well, it was another reminder from a player who will remain elite for the coming tenure with the Mets.
He’s not holding back. As he puts it, “There’s nothing I can do. Definitely I’m trying my best to get going and help the team.” Soto is portraying time and again that he will live up to the standard he has set for himself. Let the loyalty be tested; he will rise with his best style of play for the Mets.
The post Amid Doubts Over Mets Loyalty, Juan Soto Makes Major Yankees Decision After Aaron Judge Comment Backlash appeared first on EssentiallySports.
