MLB Superstar Gives Ridiculous Explanation for Leaving Yankees in Free Agency

Juan Soto's reasons for signing with the New York Mets over the New York Yankees make no sense.

Feb 24, 2025; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As the injury-riddled New York Yankees prepare for an uncertain season, their cloudy 2025 outlook would be considerably brighter if they still had Juan Soto.

Unfortunately, they don't. He belongs to the New York Mets now after signing a record-setting 15-year, $765 million deal with them in December.

The Yankees offered 16 years and $760 million, only to be outbid by their crosstown rivals. When push came to shove, the Mets simply wanted him more.

While Soto accepted the higher offer, he now claims that money wasn't why he signed with the Mets.

In Friday's new episode of "The Pursuit" -- a docuseries about Soto signing with the Mets -- the superstar outfielder made a stunning revelation about why he chose the Mets over the Yankees.

Juan Soto in Sports Illustrated:

“The Yankees were No. 1 from day one. I know the Yankees are going to be good for the next five, six years. We don’t know after that.” pic.twitter.com/LSlRY8f0GU

— Rod (@theyankscenter) March 21, 2025

“The Yankees were No. 1 from day one," Soto said. "I know the Yankees are going to be good for the next five, six years. We don’t know after that.”

The four-time All-Star also said he chose the Mets because of his faith in owner Steve Cohen, the organization's emphasis on family and his trust in the franchise's long-term success going forward.

For starters, the Yankees were clearly not "No. 1 from day one." If they were, Soto would still be a Yankee. They offered him over three quarters of a billion dollars to stay, and he still left.

Secondly, his uncertainty about the Yankees future applies to every team in baseball. Predicting the future is impossible, especially in sports. Nobody knows who will win the World Series this year, let alone in 2032 or 2033.

Based on their track records, the Yankees are a much better bet to be successful down the road. They haven't had a losing season since 1992 and are the defending AL champions. The Mets haven't won a pennant in 10 years and haven't won a championship since 1986 — 12 years before Soto was born.

The Yankees are always competitive, whereas the Mets have had only a few moments of glory sprinkled throughout 60-plus years of ineptitude.

Cohen is more aggressive and willing to spend more than Hal Steinbrenner, but so what? The Yankees have still won more games than the Mets since Cohen took over, and the 21st-century Yankees are living proof that trying to buy championships doesn't work in baseball.

Soto can say he didn't sign with the Mets because of the money. But at the end of the day, that's the only explanation that makes any sense.

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