Spring training might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but Juan Soto didn’t really get that memo.

The New York Mets’ new star wasted no time showing everyone what he is made of. He launched a home run in his first at-bat, and let’s say it was – massive.

But seriously, did anyone expect anything different?

Juan Soto faced Houston Astros’ Colton Gordon in the first inning. He took a 2-1 pitch and simply destroyed it, sending a 426-foot shot over the left-center field wall. The New York Mets went on to win 6-2. But that wasn’t the main story.

The real message?

Juan Soto is locked in and ready for destruction in this season.

After the game, Juan Soto mentioned, “I feel like everybody was really happy. I would say the worst reaction was [teammate] Jesse Winker, that I stepped on him. He was really [in] pain, but he was happy at the same time.”

Well, NYM already had Pete Alonso throwing balls out of orbit and now they have another star.

Juan Soto, when not sending baseballs into orbit, still made things quite interesting. In the second inning, he added an RBI groundout. He gave the New York Mets fans a quick preview of really what’s to come this season. Soto has a career spring training average of .304 and an OPS of over 1.000.

Meanwhile, the Mets vs. Yankees debate or Aaron Judge vs. Juan Soto topic is stirring up. And Soto made a strong case, that’s only making all the noise online.

Mets fans over-joyed as Juan Soto sparks NYC showdown

Bitterly, one fan mentioned, “CRY YANKEES CRY.” Now everyone expected the debate of who is the king in New York to start soon. But this soon? Soto’s strong performance from the get-go just forced the topic to come in hot. And his performance is almost déjà vu for all. Remember? In his first spring training game with the Yankees, he homered similarly. Sure, it’s a new jersey for Juan Soto, but it’s the same ridiculous power.

One user in X mentioned, “YANKEES FANS IN SHAMBLES.” And sure, the New York Yankees fans would have spilled water after they saw Juan Soto’s performance. And one more reason is also because Soto wasn’t the only former Yankee making waves. Clay Holmes also had an impressive game. The starter tossed three perfect innings, striking out three in just 34 pitches. Not bad, right?

For Mets fans, this was about as good as it gets. With much glee, one said, “Yankees fans are down bad rn.” But that’s not to say the Yankees are not prepared. They have invested heavily this off-season. They have Max Fried, a legit ace when healthy. And let’s be honest – this is only spring training, and almost anything can happen. Injuries are no surprise, and both the Mets and Yankees can lose anyone due to an injury.

Another comment read, “He didn’t miss a step.” Well, the New York Mets spent a whopping $765 million for Juan Soto. They wouldn’t have spent this much had he not been good! But money is not the only thing why he chose the Mets. Even though it’s debatable, he mentioned the Mets were a more winning team. Aaron Judge, though, came out to say: “That’s his opinion. He can say what he wants. I definitely disagree with him. It’s going to be great having him in the town. We’re going to be battling back and forth for quite a few years.”

A fan showed the mirror, “That’s what they’re paying for.” But while Soto is a power bat, there are still question marks about whether Soto’s massive deal makes the Mets closer to the World Series. Mainly because Luis Severino and Jose Quintana are gone. So the bigger question is, can they replace the 21 wins and 352 mostly solid innings those two provided last season?

Well, for now, the Mets can celebrate because Juan Soto seems to be on FIRE! Do you feel he can take on Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees? Let’s get into that conversation!