Juan Soto Shares Exactly Why He Chose the New York Mets Over Yankees

The New York Yankees were unable to keep the superstar left fielder in the fold, and now we know why.

Mar 14, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22) returns from the field during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

By far the biggest free agent signing of this past offseason was Juan Soto spurning the New York Yankees in favor of their hated cross-town rivals in the New York Mets.

Soto turned down a lucrative deal that would have kept him in the Bronx in favor of a record-breaking 15-year $765,000,000 contract to make the short move to Queens.

This move was naturally a cause for serious heart ache among Yankees faithful, as Soto was not only a fan favorite, but a key part of a lineup that just made it to the World Series.

"When you're a great player and you walk the walk, people take notice and pay attention. That's who he was for us."

Aaron Boone talks about Juan Soto's leadership qualities with the Yankees last season: pic.twitter.com/slRKrygk4a

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 24, 2025

In the wake of Soto's move to the Mets, many began to wonder about the true motives behind the transition. Obviously the massive contract played a key role in persuading the 26-year-old slugger, but people also wanted to know if there were any deeper motivations that led to his departure.

Well, New York fans on both sides of the transaction finally got a bit more closure on the transition, as Juan Soto shed light on what truly drove his decision to leave the Yankees for the Mets.

In a sit down interview with NBC's "Today", Soto stated that while the Yankees did make a compelling offer, his cross-town move ultimately came down to what describes as a "family decision."

“I mean, they tried the hardest they can but things happen, you know?” Soto said when asked if the Yankees could have done more to bring him back." “You gotta go through a lotta things. It’s a whole group, family decision that we made. And I think that was the best one, you know? They really tried but we couldn’t get it done.”

Soto also clarified that he has a deep love for the fans in the Bronx, and that they were amazing all season.

“I can’t complain about Yankee fans. They were amazing, day in, day out, the whole season last year," Soto said. "And I really appreciate not only Yankees fans but the Dominican community. They were showing off and I was really happy for that.”

Along with providing a bit of closure on the situation, Soto's sit down with NBC also shines a light on something that fans seldom take into account when it comes to free agent moves, and that's the role the player's family play in the decision.

At the end of the day, it's hard to fault somebody for doing what they think is best for their family in the long term. Even if it still hurts to see said player suiting up for another team.