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Juan Soto was supposed to be the center of attention on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, not just for his high-profile return to Yankee Stadium, but also for his planned in-game interview. But just under an hour before the first pitch of the series finale between the Mets and Yankees, the script changed.
According to ESPN play-by-play announcer Karl Ravech, Soto canceled his appearance “about 45 minutes” before game time. Brandon Nimmo, Soto’s teammate and a fellow outfielder, stepped in as a last-minute replacement for the live interview segment.
Initially, the plan was to mic up Soto during the second inning of the game. The idea, announced earlier in the day by ESPN’s Buster Olney, was to have Soto discuss Aaron Judge’s historic start to the season—an eyebrow-raising topic given the context. Judge, now a Yankee cornerstone, has been reaching base at a rate comparable to Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle, and Babe Ruth. However, Mets fans were quick to call out the network for choosing to focus on a rival player during an interview with a Mets star, especially in a high-stakes rivalry game.
Olney’s post triggered immediate backlash. Fans on social media questioned the decision to spotlight Judge during an interview with Soto, who recently turned down a massive Yankees offer to sign a record-breaking $765 million deal with the Mets. Some fans even threatened to mute the broadcast or switch to the radio feed to avoid what they saw as disrespect toward their star player and team.
Brandon Nimmo saves the day for fans, ESPN in Mets loss on Sunday
“Wait. You’re going to mic up Juan Soto… to ask him about… Aaron Judge?” one fan wrote. “How about asking him about Pete [Alonso], Lindor, or life on his new team?”
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Ultimately, Soto opted out of the interview—an unusual move, but not unprecedented. ESPN replaced him with Nimmo without offering an official explanation, although the timing and online response suggest that the planned line of questioning may have played a role in Soto’s decision.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza downplayed the situation postgame. While Soto was booed loudly all weekend in the Bronx, Mendoza said the jeers didn’t affect his performance or mindset. “He embraced it,” Mendoza said. “He knew what was coming. He didn’t change.”
Soto went hitless in the Mets' 8-2 loss to the Yankees on Sunday night, finishing 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. His return to Yankee Stadium—once seen as a possible long-term home—was filled with tension, emotion, and controversy, both on and off the field.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s optics took a hit, especially with criticism mounting about their handling of in-game content and perceived bias. For a game already fueled by city rivalry, the situation added another layer of drama.
As for Soto, he continues to be a lightning rod—whether with his bat or with a microphone. And in New York, every move is magnified.
