It only took one Hal Steinbrenner quote to convince Mets fans Juan Soto is leaving the Yankees

If the opposite of The Eras Tour exists, it’s whatever is going on in Major League Baseball with Juan Soto. He is the one getting visited. Owners, GMs, etc. are all making their pitch to him and Scott Boras as to why their uniform would fit most comfy on him next year. The New York Mets already got their meeting out of the way. So have the New York Yankees who know him well, too.

When asked about how his meeting with Soto went, Hal Steinbrenner wasn’t exactly raising the expectations of Yankees fans. It only took one quote for Mets fans to come to the conclusion the Yankees aren’t fully confident in they re-sign Soto.

Hal Steinbrenner opened the door for Mets fans to think he’s leaving the Yankees

No idea? Soto spent a full year with you and you haven’t the faintest idea of whether or not you can re-sign him? Steinbrenner is being coy here. The better part of the quote is to say “We’ll be in the mix.” What are you, a mini pretzel in a bowl of party mix? Being in the mix is existing on planet earth and thinking you have a chance to live happily ever after with Sydney Sweeney, Sydney Thomas, or the most eligible bachelor in Sydney, Australia; take your pick!

There are two takeaways here. One says Steinbrenner let loose a reality of Soto signing somewhere else. The Mets, heavily favored by multiple MLB insiders as well as anyone who understands math, would be the logical landing spot for Soto if not the Yankees. Their big issue would be fitting him on a team with multiple needs. The Aaron Judge contract is so young it barely knows it can barely form sentences. The never-ending Giancarlo Stanton contract continues to be a burden on their payroll as well while holding them back from other moves.

Yankees fans have already started their “coping” by stating how much better the team could be without Soto. Pivoting elsewhere with players like Alex Bregman and Anthony Santander can help them build a better rounded roster. It could be true. This isn’t quite the case for the Mets who absolutely are better with Soto in their lineup rather than an assortment of other additions.

We can read into every bit of Soto news or rumor and come away with different conclusions. The truth is, no one knows for sure where he’ll end up. Steinbrenner’s public lack of confidence, if a smoke screen, is a bold strategy. Imagine if Steve Cohen gave this response. We’d revolt.

How confident should Mets fans be after hearing Steinbrenner? Other threats remain and probably wouldn't take the same approach of ninja-dusting the question. The Yankees have a reputation to uphold as the destination for free agents. Equally so, Cohen has his own reputation to back up.