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While it was always clear that Juan Soto would go to the highest bidder this offseason, some fans speculated that the New York Yankees' rumored mistreatment of his family played a role in his decision to leave. However, that was fake news.
Soto said “that was a lie,” via ESPN's Enrique Rojas.
“Juan Soto said in @GrandesELD [Dominican outlet Grandes en los Deportes] that no one from the Yankees mistreated his family…He also said he asked the Mets for permission to play 10 games with Tigres del Licey in winter ball, but not for this season,” Rojas reported.
Rumors circulated after Soto signed a record 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets that he was upset about his family not getting a free suite at Yankee Stadium. The generational talent was supposedly also upset by an “overzealous Yankees security guy who disallowed a family member and his chef/driver from certain areas,” via The New York Post's Jon Heyman.
However, Soto also said in the interview that the Yankees are a “1A organization” and that he had a great experience in pinstripes, via Talkin' Yanks.
While these rumors were fun fodder for giddy Mets fans, it's time to put those narratives to bed.
Yankees had funny retaliation to Juan Soto rumors
The Bronx-based New York club wasted no time re-tooling after Soto's departure, acquiring starting pitcher Max Fried, closer Devin Williams, and outfielder Cody Bellinger. After the bad press with the rumors about Soto's family, general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone made sure to shower Fried's family with love at his introductory press conference, via The New York Post's DJ Sixsmith.
Giving flowers to Fried's mother and girlfriend could have been coincidental, but when putting two and two together, its easy to see the underlying meaning. Regardless, there's no doubt that the Yankees will be extra cordial with incoming players' families as they continue to make moves this offseason.
