Juan Warm Welcome: Soto returns to Yankee Stadium

Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports

BRONX, NY — The time finally arrived Friday night in the Bronx for Juan Warm Welcome. 

At approximately 7:10 PM ET, Juan Soto walked up to home plate of Yankee Stadium for the first time from the visiting side since departing the Yankees for the Mets on a historic 15-year/$765 million deal—the largest contract in all of professional sports. 

Upon settling into the left side of the batter’s box, the 26-year-old hailing from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic—once beloved on the corner of 161st Street and River Avenue, now viewed as an enemy—was immediately greeted by the sold out crowd of over 47,000 with Juan Warm Welcome. 

Despite fans of the orange and blue attempting to make their presence felt, Yankee faithful took over the building, resulting in a deafening boo-bird marathon as soon as Soto began his stroll to the plate. 

Along with boos and countless signs mocking Soto, entered “Soto’s Greedy” chants and even worse, curses from the crowd similar to what the Bronx witnessed in past seasons with Yankees’ rival, José Altuve of the Houston Astros. 

Nevertheless, just like Altuve, Soto did not let the negativity or hate creep in one bit. Matter of fact, from one’s perspective, it seemed as if the 2024 American League LatinoMVP Award winner embraced it while enjoying every minute of New York baseball’s crosstown battle, the Subway Series. 

Just when the boos began to overpower Yankee Stadium, instead of letting the pressure affect him, Soto did the opposite: by taking off his helmet and saluting the crowd. 

A Juan of Juan reaction some would say. 

“You know, you gotta embrace it,” said Soto of the boos from Yankee fans. “At the end of the day, whatever they give you, it is what it is. You have to be a professional. You have to take it as a man. I was just enjoying the moment.”

On his salute to the crowd in the top of the first inning during his first at-bat, Soto explained, “We were just joking in the dugout that I should do it. I did it and the guys loved it.” 

Furthermore, in the bottom of the first inning while Soto jogged to right field for the first time of the night, the Bleacher Creatures (Yankee fans located in Section 203 and the surrounding area) all turned their backs to the field and specifically, him.

“I didn’t realize that,” Soto noted in the postgame of the fans turning their back on him during the first inning as the Mets fell 6-2 in the Bronx Friday night. “I was just listening to the boos and stuff. I tried not to have any eye contact and just listen to the boos.” 

What many also found interesting before the first installment of the 2025 Subway Series opened up on Friday night was Soto’s openness and comfortability level of being back in the Bronx—knowing he was in for a long Friday night and weekend with the Yankee Stadium crowd. 

The four-time All-Star and 2019 World Series champion with the Washington Nationals, prepared for the moment since inking his record-setting contract with the Mets over the offseason, worked on his defensive pre-game routine out on the field while fans constantly booed and heckled him from a few feet away in right field.  

For many superstars in this given environment, they would opt to stay inside for their pre-game routine and take batting practice indoors, etc., to avoid distractions. Rightfully so. But not for Soto. 

After catching up with several former Yankee teammates and coaches, such as DJ LeMahieu, Ben Rice, manager Aaron Boone, bench coach Brad Ausmus, among others, Soto treated Friday like just another night at the ballpark. 

“What makes this guy who he is is that he is very steady,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza of Soto. “He doesn’t get too high or too low. He knew this was coming. Like I told him a couple days ago, ‘embrace it and try to enjoy every second of it and be yourself.’ And that’s what he did.”

With that Juan of Juan mindset, he finished up his Friday night return to Yankee Stadium, going 0-2 with three walks and a run scored.

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