Subscribe
Follow Us
A vast majority of New York Yankees fans may not gain closure with the Juan Soto saga until they bombard him with boos during the Subway Series next year. But the latest piece of information to come out in the aftermath of his colossal signing might mellow The Bronx's mood a tad. Or, there is a chance that it only fuels their vitriol.
Soto further confused and irritated Yankees supporters during his introductory press conference with the Mets, when he revealed that he has not spoken to Aaron Judge or any Yankees players since the World Series. Evidently, the radio silence was by design.
“The reason there was no communication between Juan Soto and his former Yankee teammates simply is that Soto changed his cell phone number,” USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported on Friday. “He was bombarded by outside calls during his free agency and wanted privacy. Soto now is reaching out to former Yankee teammates.”
Juan Soto rejoins society after frenzied free agency tour
Although the explanation is plausible, especially given how much coverage the right fielder's free agency decision received, it is still difficult to comprehend that no contact was exchanged between Judge and Soto across a seven-week span. One would have assumed that the latter congratulated the former on winning American League MVP honors for a second time in his career (the award has essentially been his since the summer, though).
Privacy is of course understandable, but the fact that Soto did not reach out to Judge or any of the men he shared a clubhouse with before choosing the Mets will only reinforce the narrative that the 26-year-old master of plate discipline was not overly anxious to don the pinstripes again. However, considering he is actively trying to get in touch with members of his ex-ballclub, it seems like there were strong bonds formed between Soto and the Yankees.
The Dominican Republic star himself expressed his gratitude for the franchise and its fan base on Thursday, so any bickering that takes place will presumably only occur amongst the public. Both New York clubs have too much left on their respective offseason agendas to live in the past. It is time to move forward.
That is easier said than done when residing in the largest sports market in the country, though. The thought of jeering Juan Soto will be the motivation many Yankees fans need to push past the winter and into the spring. You've got to love rivalries, right?
