COLUMN: Juan Soto's move to New York Mets flips script of 'little brother' syndrome from New York Yankees
A little more than four years ago, an absurdly rich hedge-fund manager named Steve Cohen purchased his childhood favorite baseball team, the New York Mets. With his ownership came promises of change, spending and superstars galore. Money wouldn't be an issue like it was under the prior regime.
Cohen, worth more than $20 billion, would stop at nothing to bring talent never seen nor experienced in Queens, New York. The type of talent that was usually seen across town in the Bronx with the New York Yankees.
"If I can make millions of people happy, how cool is that?" Cohen said. "I actually view it as a civic responsibility."
But at the time it was all just words. Mets fans who had been tortured by leadership groups for as long as they could remember, stood by the motto, "I'll believe it when I see it."
On Sunday night, Mets fans finally saw it. The culmination of this vision, the acquisition of Juan Soto, a 26-year-old outfielder coming off a 41 home run, 109 RBI season. The slugger — who's on track for the Hall of Fame — chose to sign a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, the largest deal in professional sports history.
Not only does this make the Mets better on the field, adding an American League MVP finalist from last season, but also marks the changing of times. In an unprecedented move, the Mets were able to poach Soto from the Yankees, where he was a key contributor to their World Series run just a few months ago.
In New York, the Yankees have always gotten what they wanted. They've always had deeper pockets and a better pitch. But after Sunday both Yankees fans and front office alike realized that's not the case anymore. Gone are the days of being called "little brother" and being the butt of jokes across pop culture like "Saturday Night Live" and "Family Guy."
Cohen and the Mets brass didn't pursue Soto just because he was the biggest name in the free agent pool — this was a calculated decision years in the making. They had not heavily pursued other superstars who were available in free agency the last few winters, like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. They wanted the type of generational talent like Soto, who rarely ever reaches free agency while still in their prime.
With the Mets coming off their best season in almost a decade with a trip to the National League Championship Series, Soto adds a skill set in the middle of the lineup that's never been seen before in the blue and orange.
This move certainly doesn't guarantee a spot for the Mets in the World Series next year. Championships aren't won in the winter. Soto doesn't fix the pitching — a lingering issue — but it's clear Cohen won’t stop spending and looking to improve the Mets' personnel and brand. For once, the Mets got one over the Yankees and dreams are now a reality for Mets fans.
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