The last time Juan Soto returned to Yankee Stadium, he tipped his helmet to the fans booing him and mouthed, “Thank you.” A year later, he’s heading back to the Bronx, and the question is whether Yankees fans have changed their stance. When asked if the fans still hate him, Soto offered the simplest response.
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“Who knows?” the 27-year-old said, as per Mets Batflip on X. “But they know I gave my best to them. Some of them appreciate it, some of them don’t. You can’t control that.”
Soto was traded to the New York Yankees from the San Diego Padres in December 2023. He spent the next season with the Pinstripes, amassing 109 RBIs and 41 home runs. He helped New York reach the World Series with a .327 AVG and a 1.101 OPS in the postseason.
The left fielder then left as a free agent and signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets. This obviously didn’t sit well with the Yankees loyalists, and they made their feelings known when he returned to his former home in 2025.
“I was ready for it,” Soto said after defeating the Yankees 6-2 in the series opener in May 2025.
This Friday, the Mets will visit the Yankees for the Subway Series, and reporters asked Soto if he expects anything different after last season’s experience.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think it’s going to be the same. I am not expecting less than that from Yankees fans. They are really passionate.”
Soto isn’t trying to win back Yankees fans or defend his departure; he is simply accepting the reality of his relationship with the fans.
This season, the five-time All-Star has missed several games due to calf issues, but he has still managed to maintain a slash line of .275/.397/.528. And for now, he is just focusing on his performance.
The Mets, on the other hand, have little to fight for in the remaining regular season. They are fourth in the NL East with a 68-78 record, and are 10.0 games behind the last National League Wild Card spot. However, being out of the playoff picture doesn’t make the Subway Series rivalry any less intriguing.
Even if a win won’t change their fate, they are ready to throw in everything, but the Bronx Bombers have quite a different perspective.
Subway Series is an ideal October tune-up for the Yankees
The Pinstripes are 2nd in the AL East with an 84-62 record, and are just 3.0 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, who are leading the division. Interestingly, though, the Yankees are atop the Wild Card standings with a 10.5-game cushion. True, overtaking the Rays will help them avoid an additional series in the postseason, but they aren’t exactly fighting to survive. However, it’s the Subway Series we are talking about, where nothing is taken lightly.
Then there’s another aspect that is quite important for them at this point. The Yankees have recently reinstated Aaron Judge from the 60-day IL, and the captain reclaimed his spot on the active roster without going on a rehab assignment. He had been absent for over three months, and the Yankees are trying to be cautious with his workload.
He played his first game after his return against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday. The 34-year-old went 0-for-3, with 2 strikeouts. Given that he was playing as a position player and not a DH, manager Aaron Boone pulled him after the sixth inning.
Judge was obviously not happy with the decision, but he eventually obliged.
“I respect Booney, so whatever he says I’m going to do, but I’m not happy about it,” he stated after the game.
Even Boone admitted his displeasure, hoping he would be good to go again.
He proved him right, going 2-for-4 with a run in the next game. The Yankees offered him a rest day after that, but the remaining 16 games they have can be a great runway for Judge before October arrives.
The Mets are coming off a strong stretch, winning six of their last seven games. The Yankees aren’t bad either, with a 5-2 record over the same span and a 10-3 win in their last game against the Rockies. Each team will try to outplay the other, while players like Juan Soto and Aaron Judge will have their own personal battles to navigate.