Fans unanimously pointed out a glaring concern after the first snaps of Juan Soto in Mets colors were posted on social media.
After his monumental move to the New York Yankees last season, Soto shocked the baseball world by moving cross town to the Mets after helping the Bronx Bombers to their first World Series appearance since 2009.
On Thursday, the 26-year-old star put on a Mets jersey and posed in front of the diamond at Citi Field ahead of his introductory press conference.
However, fans took to the comments to point out how seemingly out of shape Soto is in the pictures.
‘Bro gained 30 pounds in the offseason,’ one fan wrote.
‘Damn he already ate harrison bader,’ another added, referring to the Mets Center Fielder.
Fans pointed out the same concern after Juan Soto’s first pictures as a Met were posted
Soto joined the Queens-based team after helping the New York Yankees reach the World Series
‘Bro has been eating,’ a third pointed out. ‘They paid for a washed up Soto.’
‘Ngl not even trying to hate because he didn’t sign with the Yankees but he looks like he gained some weight,’ said a fourth.
‘Yeah Yankees screwed up not having snacks and drinks at their meetings,’ a fifth chimed in.
‘Dude’s 26 but this looks like shaq at 36 on the celtics,’ a sixth compared to Shaquille O’Neal’s final NBA tenure with the Boston Celtics.
Soto is headed to Flushing Meadows after signing a record-breaking $765m deal to be in orange and blue for 15 years.
The deal contains a full no-trade clause, a $75m signing bonus, an opt-out after five seasons, and no deferred money.
The Mets team can void Soto’s opt-out clause after the 2029 season if they boost the average annual value of the final 10 years of his deal from $51m to $55m, per MLB.com.
When asked why he chose the Mets in a rich pool of suitors, Soto replied, ‘The Mets is a great organization.’
‘What they have done in the past couple of years, showing all the ability to keep winning, keep growing a team, to try to grow a dynasty, is one of the most important things,’ he added. ‘The future that this team has had a lot to do with my decision.’
Fans poked fun at Soto for being out of shape during the offseason in his introductory pictures
Soto has not spoken to Aaron Judge and other Yankees since signing with the Mets
Soto also noted how he has not spoken to Aaron Judge and his former Yankees teammates since his tectonic-shifting move.
‘I haven’t talked to any of those guys,’ Soto told the press. ‘We talked to them through [the] playoffs and at the end of the playoff. At the end of that, I make this process. I haven’t talked to any of those [guys].’
A Subway Series for the world title nearly came to fruition this year before the Mets’ hopes for the final stage got derailed by the Dodgers.
However, with Soto’s acquisition, the matchup may happen again – pinning him against his former teammates. Nonetheless, Soto insists that there is no bad blood between him and the Yankees.
When asked if he expects to speak to Judge and others soon, Soto responded, ‘Yes, why not?’
‘At the end of the day, we’re still friends, we’re still cool,’ he continued. Whatever happens, it’s just business. The relationship that we created last year will stay forever.’
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