Mets' Juan Soto on booing fans, hostile Yankee Stadium environment: 'I was ready for it'

Juan Soto made his highly anticipated return to Yankee Stadium and the crowd greeted him how you'd expect.

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May 16, 2025 - 20:52
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Mets' Juan Soto on booing fans, hostile Yankee Stadium environment: 'I was ready for it'

The highly anticipated matchup between the Mets and Yankees this weekend had a major storyline in place: how Juan Soto will be welcomed at Yankee Stadium.

After helping the Yankees make it to their first World Series since 2009, Soto spurned the team from the Bronx to sign with the Mets in the offseason. Now, in his first game back at Yankee Stadium since Game 5 of last year's World Series, the Yankee faithful gave him a reaction, rather befitting of the circumstances.

Batting second with one out in the top of the first, Soto came up to the plate with boos raining down on him.

Soto tipped his helmet to the crowd and mouthed "thank you."

"I was ready for it," Soto said after the Mets' 6-2 loss. "They are really passionate fans and they were hurt. They are going to do the best for their team and they just feel that way."

Soto was asked about his cap tip and whether it was planned.

"Was just joking in the dugout and that I should do it," he said. "And I just did it. The guys just loved it."

"I thought they were very respectful and that's what you want," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the Yankee Stadium crowd. "You can boo all you want and all that, as long as they're not crossing the line. It was loud."

Yankees manager Aaron Boone chuckled when asked about the crowd but kept more generalistic.

"It was a pretty great environment," he said. "Comfortable weather-wise. Certainly one of those nights where you can feel the energy in the building."

Soto took a five-pitch walk and never swung the bat once. The Mets fans in attendance cheered as Soto took his base. It was a common theme for Soto on Friday night. The left-handed slugger finished 0-for-2 with three walks, a stolen base and a run scored.

“It’s going to be 50,000 against one,” Soto told the Post, earlier this week. “They’re going to try to get on me, you know,” he said. “It’s part of it.”

If you listen closely to the broadcast, "F--- you Soto" chants could be heard from the Yankees faithful. And when he took the field for the first time, he received Bronx jeers from the crowd in the right field bleachers, and many turned their backs to him.

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