Juan Soto starred in the move that shook up the MLB offseason market, leaving the New York Yankees for the New York Mets to share a team with star and MVP candidate Francisco Lindor. The 26-year-old left fielder will look to continue his successful partnership with Aaron Judge.
Soto’s decision is not an easy one to process, considering he left a team that lost the MLB World Series last season. However, the former Yankees decided to cross over to join the Mets in free agency by signing a historic 15-year, $765 million contract, with the possibility of an option to extend to more than $800 million.
The immediate future will show whether Soto can have the success he had with the Yankees alongside Judge. For that, he will have to polish his parternship alongside star Lindor. The goal of the Queens organization is clear: to win the World Series after 39 years without glory in the league. The stakes are high, but Soto feels ready.
Soto’s honest statement on sharing team with Lindor at Mets
“With Francisco Lindor I have the opportunity to do the same thing I did with Judge, I think it’s going to be special. He has a lot of things to tell me and we’ll be looking to improve our play, but I think it’s an exciting thing to find things to improve on every day. To have your brother next to you, try to cheer for you, to push you to be the best out of you,” Soto said sincerely in a dialogue with SNY about sharing a team with Lindor in the Mets.
Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets warms up before Game One of the Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
What did Juan Soto say about his relationship with Aaron Judge?
Leaving Judge behind is a big decision for Soto, although the two players have not spoken since the Yankees lost the World Series to Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers. However, according to multiple sources, they have a good relationship.
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“Aaron Judge is one of the best guys I ever played with. At the end of the day, we’re still friends, we’re still cool. Everything that happened, it’s just business. But the relationship that we created last year, I think will last forever,” Soto has said of his relationship with Judge, as he left SNY Yankees videos on his X account (formerly Twitter).
Can Soto’s Mets win the World Series next season?
Soto’s arrival to the Mets heralds a clear intention to contend for the big prize next season. At the same time, Lindor is proving to be an elite hitter at the age of 31, so the two players could be a formidable duo for the rest of the teams. Although the last time the New York franchise won the World Series was in 1986, there is a strong case to be made for them to do so again soon.
Last season, the Mets came close to defeating the Dodgers in the Championship Series, but now they are assured of having one of the league’s stars for many years to come. At the same time, Lindor recorded his best offensive season in the previous campaign. As Soto said, both players will have to polish their relationship in order to compete again with Los Angeles and other contenders.
