This week’s top baseball chatter has arguably been Juan Soto’s return to Yankee Stadium as a Met. So, it wasn’t surprising when ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball named him as the player mic’d up for their signature in-game interview. However, while they were prepping the questions, Soto had other ideas.

Andrew Marchand took it to X hours before the game that Juan Soto would be mic’d up during the second inning of the third game of the Subway Series. But then, just sometime later, Marchand revealed that Brandon Nimmo would now be mic’d up instead of Soto. Well, he didn’t offer any explanation right that moment.

Well, Soto turned it down, obviously. Interestingly, he turned it down after Buster Olney, ESPN insider, noted on X, saying, “On Sunday Night Baseball, we’ve got the Mets and Yankees, Juan Soto wearing the mic, and we’ll ask him about Aaron Judge’s season.” Coincidence? Maybe.

However, Soto’s sudden decision was likely a move to dodge potential controversy. He has been there before. The last time he talked about Judge, it sparked drama. Remember?

Just last month, Soto was the center of the rumor that the Yankees miss his explosive bat in the mix. Soon enough, the rumor mill reversed. Particularly because of his remark on Judge: “I had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me.” It blew up the internet with speculations that his slow start to the season with the Mets has everything to do with the fact that he still misses Aaron Judge.

Now, after all that happened, fans were quick to connect the dots for Soto’s avoidance of getting mic’d up. Everyone on X collectively agreed that his decision stems from dodging an awkward conversation that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. He’s now a Met and weighing in on his former teammate on anything related to the Yankees wouldn’t be smart.

Fans’ take on Soto turning down the ESPN interview last minute

Well, Buster Olney tipped the segment’s content too early. Unsurprisingly, Soto backed out; what else could he do? He simply cannot answer the questions centered around Aaron Judge. Meanwhile, just when all of this surfaced, MLB fans were just their typical self all over the internet…

Some go straight to the chase. “Soto heard he was gonna only be asked about Judge and told espn to f— off lol.” Well, Soto and Judge together made a perfect duo. They hit 40 home runs last season, and they were the third set of Yankees’ teammates to do so. They joined the historic company of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It’s no surprise that Soto, now a Met, is unwilling to answer anything about Judge or the Yankees. He cannot be involved in a Yankees’ storyline anymore.

Ever since he signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, he has been topping the headlines with his former team more than with the Mets. Fans have had enough of the Soto-Judge drama, so they naturally took a sarcastic jab. “Was dying to hear about what Soto thinks of Judge for the 85th time.” So many words have already been exchanged from Soto to Judge and from Judge to Soto. What more!!!

If Buster Olney hadn’t revealed the interview segment too early, we might have heard Soto in the Sunday Night Baseball segment: “Lmao Buster blew it for them with that tweet for sureeeee.” Just some time after Olney’s note on X, Marchand revealed that Brandon Nimmo would be replacing Soto. It cannot be a coincidence, right?

It was rather funny for the fans. Well, why would Soto want to answer questions for the team he doesn’t play for anymore? “Shocking: Soto didn’t want to be asked 21 questions about his former team.” Being dragged into questions for his former team doesn’t sound like something Soto would enjoy. He’s now wearing Mets’ colors, if he dares to weigh in on Judge’s performance, Metsies will be the first to go against him.

Soto even received some interesting advice. “Good for him; don’t feed the media any fuel about your ex-team.” He has to protect himself from any controversial questions about the Yankees. He stepped back for all the right reasons. He has been through enough unnecessary claims already, leading to questions over his loyalty to the Mets. Doesn’t seem fair…

So, it’s time for Soto to just be a Met, not the center of all the attention of the Yankees’ storylines. Right?