Juan Soto's Grass is Greener in Queens

MLB Photos via Getty Images 

Juan Soto has left the New York Yankees and signed a $765 million contract with the New York Mets. 

I never thought I’d say this, but Juan Soto has officially become one of the most hated athletes in my book.

I spent an entire season believing he was the missing piece to our lineup and the player who could help bring a championship finally back to the Bronx. 

And now? 

He’s gone. 

Just like that.

When the Yankees secured Soto last offseason, for lifelong Yankees' fans including myself, it felt like a dream come true. The front office finally made a move that made sense—securing a generational hitter, a player who already had a World Series ring, someone who could take pressure off Aaron Judge and give opposing pitchers a run for their money. 

It was the kind of move fans had been yearning for, and for one season, it seemed like it might actually work. From the second Soto stepped into pinstripes, he fit in instantly to the lineup and handled the pressure of playing in New York like it was nothing.

It didn't take long for fans to embrace him as a player who wasn’t just good—he was special. He’s the kind of player you build a team around.

And yet, just like that, he’s gone.

Watching another superstar walk away seems to be routine for fans across the league nowadays.

It’s frustrating because we all know the Yankees have the money to afford him. This isn’t a small-market team who's pinching pennies. More often than not it feels like the Yankees print money.

If they really wanted him in pinstripes for the next decade, they could’ve made it happen. But for whatever reason, both parties could not come to an agreement.

I get it—baseball is a business. Players choose to do what they believe is best for their careers, and teams have to make tough decisions. 

But as a fan, I don’t care about business decisions. I care about loyalty. 

Look at Aaron Judge—he had every opportunity to leave and make more money with the Giants, but he stayed because he wanted to build a legacy and play as captain in New York. Jeter? Never even considered wearing another team’s uniform. Soto had the chance to be one of those guys, but instead, it seems like his name has joined the list of players who passed through the Bronx. 

What really gets me, though, is that Soto said he wanted to go to a team where he could win. Really? If that were the case, he should remember that the AL is currently wide open. Now, with the Mets, I don’t see them beating the Dodgers in the postseason, and if the Phillies get hot at the right time, they might not even make it to the championship series. 

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If Soto really wanted to win, he should’ve stayed in New York with the organization that doesn’t celebrate division titles—we expect championships.

After losing Soto, the Yankees have made some moves to prevent us from being right back where we started. But still, I'm frustrated. Even quite bitter. 

Soto had everything he needed with the Yankees, and yet, he still walked away, hoping to find somewhere where the grass is greener. I don't know what the next accomplishment in his career will be, but I do know that when he steps into Yankee Stadium again this summer, he should not expect a warm welcome.