Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza breaks silence on Juan Soto’s return to the Bronx for Subway Series vs. Yankees

As the New York Mets prepare for their first Subway Series clash of the season, all eyes are on star slug Juan Soto, who captured headlines last winter by opting for Queens over the New York Yankees in a record-breaking $765 million contract, and on Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, himself a former Yankee, who now leads the charge into the Bronx.

When asked earlier this week if he’s looking forward to his return to Yankee Stadium, Soto responded without hesitation: “The crowd.” Even if that crowd turns on him? “I don’t mind,” he said, according to MLB.com.

Those words may come to define the tone of Soto’s highly anticipated homecoming. While Mets fans have already begun to embrace him, his reception in the Bronx is likely to be far more hostile. The Yankees faithful, still stung by Soto’s decision to sign with their crosstown rivals, will surely make their displeasure known.

From the moment of his Mets unveiling, Soto has remained a lightning rod. His early comments about not keeping in touch with ex-teammates post-World Series drew scrutiny. His remark to The New York Post about pitchers approaching him differently without Aaron Judge behind him was dissected far and wide, despite being relatively benign.

Manager Carlos Mendoza #64 of the New York Mets and the starting lineup for opening day stand for the national anthem before the home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field on April 04, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Carlos Mendoza’s message

Through it all, the person least bothered appears to be Soto himself. “He’s going to go in there with good memories,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who, like Soto, knows the experience of switching sides in New York’s baseball rivalry. “He had a really good year with them, went to the World Series with them. It will be exciting.”

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Indeed, while emotions are running high in the Bronx, Soto’s focus remains fixed on the field. This year’s Subway Series brings added weight, with both the Yankees and Mets holding division leads and legitimate World Series aspirations. If all goes according to plan, this won’t be the last time Soto faces his former club under the spotlight.

For now, he returns to the Bronx not to stir the pot, but to compete — unbothered by the noise, unfazed by the boos, and fully aware of what he left behind.