The melodrama is worthy of a soap opera when New York Mets fans hear rumors that Juan Soto and the team were parting ways just months after his historic megacontract.
When a $765 million player hits like a backup, the satire starts to sound suspiciously like news.
Juan Soto awakens the frustration of the fans
This post could be from a parody account, and the possibility of this happening within the duration of the contract is almost impossible. But this post shows the frustration fans feel with Soto after seeing how the season has gone.
There is a parody MLB account called FAX Sports: MLB, and it shocked the world with this post. It read: “BREAKING: Juan Soto and the Mets have agreed to a $765 million buyout, with $25 million paid over 15 years and $2.5 million annually until the full amount is paid.” This is all the result of fake news about Soto and his own dip in form.
A few days ago, it was revealed that Soto no longer flies with his teammates, but in his private jet. This led people to comment that there might be a conflict between Soto and some other superstars such as Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. Jeff Passan clarified that there was no such thing, and that Soto remains on good terms with the players and the whole team. But even if there is a conflict, no one would blame any other player.
With Soto’s current form, people are going to have a conflict with him before the players. Soto’s slump has been worse than a rain delay in extra innings. He’s hitting just .224, with a lifeless .745 OPS that screams “panic.” At the plate, he has chased breaking balls as if they owed him money. In right field, he missed a routine fly ball against the Braves. Later, he overran third base against the Cubs, costing runs.
At this rate, the only thing Soto is consistently hitting is rock bottom. The parody post may be fiction, but the frustration fueling it is very real. Mets fans didn’t pay to see a $765 million video full of ground balls and missed plays. If Soto doesn’t right the ship soon, the parody could start to sound like prophecy, and the boos at Citi Field won’t be a joke.
Juan Soto is not in the best mood
Not every man worth $765 million walks into the locker room like he owns the place. Especially when they don’t smile, the bat is silent and the shadows of pinstripes linger too long. Yankees commentator Michael Kay did not hold back, suggesting that Soto’s current mentality with the Mets is less “conquer New York” and more “what am I doing here?”.
Soto’s first season in Queens has been far from the fairy tale Mets fans envisioned. The $765 million man has struggled to find his groove, both at the plate and in the dugout
His numbers aren’t terrible – he’s hitting a respectable .271 with 11 home runs – but expectations are higher when you’re the centerpiece of a historic deal. The Mets, meanwhile, are dealing with a sub-.500 season, and frustration is running high.
Kay, the Yankees broadcaster, did not mince words on The Michael Kay Show, painting a grim picture of Soto’s mentality. “With the people I spoke to from the Mets team … he looks very, very depressed in the locker room,” Kay said. “He doesn’t have a lot of energy. He doesn’t smile much. I’m not going to say he’s unhappy. How can you be unhappy with a $765 million contract? But money doesn’t guarantee that you’re comfortable somewhere.”
Kay went further, claiming that Soto actually wanted to stay with the Yankees, but his family dismissed it. “He wanted to go back to the Yankees. It was his preference. His family told him, ‘You’re going to the Mets.’ His family felt very comfortable with Alex and Steve Cohen. And they told him, ‘You’re going to the Mets.’ And he’s a guy who listens to his family.” If Soto’s current behavior is any indication, comfort has not yet accompanied him to Flushing.
If Soto’s bat doesn’t heat up soon, the Mets might start to wonder what exactly they paid for. A record contract buys talent, not peace of mind, let alone nostalgia for the pinstripes. The Mets gave him the contract; the Bronx still holds his heart
For now, Soto remains a superstar with a superstar’s salary and the energy of a supporting actor. New York does not quietly accept moody millionaires; the scrutiny intensifies.
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