Juan Soto can’t seem to stay out of the headlines this season, and this time, it’s war. Ever since his jaw-dropping $765 million move to the Mets, the spotlight hasn’t left his back. The pressure was enormous, the expectations sky-high, and when he stumbled early, critics pounced. Whispers of regret, a failed investment, and locker room unease spread like wildfire. But Mets fans stood tall, backing their star through the storm. Now, as Soto begins to rediscover his swagger, they seize the moment to clap back at a Yankees play-by-play announcer’s earlier allegation. What followed was a fiery clash, one that turned ugly fast.

When Soto struggled early in the season, critics pointed to the pressure of his record-breaking deal. Rumors even claimed he only signed with the Mets due to family pressure and secretly wanted to stay behind. One of those claims came from the Yankees’ broadcaster Michael Kay, who argued that Soto was “very, very glum around the clubhouse.” Mets fans pushed back at the time, and now that Soto’s clubhouse comfort is more evident, they are going after Kay again. This time, Kay broke his silence, rather brutally.

He lashed out against angry Mets fans on ESPN New York’s radio show. “I wonder if the people that say stuff like this are embarrassed by their stupidity,” Kay said, standing by his reporting. “Can they look in the mirror with their tongue hanging out, breathing up against the window at their visage, and be proud of themselves? Or do they realize that they are lying punks that are just saying stuff in order to fit their narrative… moronic, dumb, ill-informed.” He didn’t stop there, adding: “You bunch of ill-informed nitwits. Please, get over me.”

At the time, his report seemed to hold weight; Soto was visibly missing his usual swagger. But Mets fans couldn’t help but prove that wrong when they saw Soto having fun with teammates in the dugout. In a recent game against the Dodgers, he was seen flipping bottles, making them land upright, laughing with teammates. This change has translated into his recent results as well. For fans, this all led to the conclusion that the Yankees’ broadcaster misrepresented Soto’s actions for views. There were earlier reports about Kay’s radio show failing, but he dismissed that by calling it “the prevailing narrative, which to me is laughable.”

Maybe the fans were wrong, or maybe they were fiercely protecting their star, just like how legends like David Ortiz and Pedro Martínez did earlier. Let us be honest, everyone is desperate to see him shine again. But either way, this blunt response from a broadcaster is clearly out of line, and many are calling it unprofessional. There are even demands floating around for him to be sacked. Lie or not, it doesn’t matter anymore, as Soto himself has cleared the air.

Juan Soto comes clean about the struggles

It’s true that Soto failed to perform for the Mets in the first few months, especially by his own high standards. Slowly but steadily, he is starting to resurface with that vintage Soto energy. He can’t be blamed; the pressure to deliver was huge, and the weight of that $765 million dragged him. Before facing the Dodgers this week, he even admitted that he’s still a work in progress.

When asked about how he’s holding up amid the changes, Soto told ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, “I still need a little more time, but little by little it’s been getting better. I’ve been feeling more comfortable.” He also credited manager Carlos Mendoza for helping him settle in: “We have good conversations that, at the end of the day, help me feel better acclimated to the team.” That definitely seems to be working, as he now smiles more in the clubhouse. But what about his stats?

He is now hitting .229 with a .797 OPS, 11 home runs, and a league-leading 50 walks in 62 games this season. Well, that’s disappointing.  Compared to his electric days with the Yankees, this version of Soto just doesn’t roar like before.  But it does show that he is almost out of the slump that clouded the early season. If he wants to shut down the critics and swarming rumors, he needs to keep delivering. He needs to bring back the Soto Shuffle and play like the millions mean something… or perhaps that they mean nothing.