MLB insider gives reality check after Yankees Fans troll Mets’ Juan Soto on his debut

The opening day match saw Juan Soto’s magic fade against the Houston Astros during one of the most awaited games of the 2025 MLB season. The Dominican outfielder’s debut game became a hotbed of discussion after he failed to meet the expectations of the Mets fans. After bagging a record-breaking $765 million deal with the Mets during the off-season, the expectation from the former Yankees star skyrocketed, but Soto’s performance in the first game against the Astros broke the hearts of millions of Mets fans.
Amidst the criticism from the Yankees fans, an MLB insider gave a reality check on Juan Soto’s athletic prowess and what he is capable of doing on the field.

From the very moment Juan Soto and the New York Mets came together for a 15-year-long, $765 million deal, he stole the spotlight from the other athletes and elevated the expectations of the entire MLB fraternity. During his debut with the Mets against the Astros, Soto’s slow start diverted media attention; he was trolled by the Yankees fans and even sparked a debut on the internet.
Clearing all the drama around the recent discussion and criticism with respect to Juan Soto, reputed MLB insider WFAN’s Chris McMonigle gave a reality check to the Yankees fans. According to Chris McMonigle, it would have been a totally different scenario if the Dominican outfielder had gotten a base hit, and the Mets fans and followers would have been all over the Yankees. He posted on X-
“If Juan Soto had gotten a base hit, every Mets fan would have been all over the Yankees.”

The New York Yankees fans did not leave a chance to take a dig at Soto’s slow start during his debut game with the Mets after becoming the most talked about athlete during the off-season. Due to his slow start and initial difficulties during the game, Soto himself was not happy with his debut. During a post-game interview, Soto straightaway admitted that things did not go his way during the game and this wasn’t the kind of start he was looking forward to. He said-
“I wasn’t expecting it. It just happens. I was expecting to win the game. It’s not how we wanted it.”
He further added:
"For me, it was a good experience. These guys are amazing. We've been having a good time since spring training, so we've just got to bring that all the way."

If one perceives from the outfielder Juan Soto’s perspective, he is dealing with the great expectation from the Mets fans and followers and the criticism, which is an inevitable part of being in the limelight. Soto went on to become the center of attention as soon as he stepped on the field to face the Houston Astros.