Recent Mets trade for a Juan Soto foe shouldn't change their chances of signing him

David Stearns and the New York Mets are still active this offseason, this time in the trade market where they got outfielder Jose Siri from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitching prospect Eric Orze. Siri comes to the Mets after a season of low offensive production with a line of .187/.255/.366/.621 with 18 home runs, 47 RBIs, 50 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 402 at-bats in 2024.

On the other hand, Siri has superior defensive skills. In 2024, he placed 16 outs above average in the outfield, ranked number two in this category in the entire MLB. He also has elite arm strength and sprint speed in the top 1% of the league.

Concern among Mets fans whether Siri's arrival would affect Soto's signing

On the social network X, Siri's arrival caused a stir due to a post shared by journalist Tim Healey about a game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays last July. In this post, Juan Soto makes fun of Siri while rounding the bases after hitting a home run against Tyler Zuber, who was acquired by the Mets the week following that event.

The context of the situation is particular. Siri had hit a home run in the fourth inning of that game, and it took 29 seconds to round the bases, which caused boos from the fans and annoyance in the Yankees clubhouse. Soto later got revenge by hitting a home run and taking 37 seconds to round the bases in a sign of support for his team and fans.

Siri is known for being an electric and emotional player but maintaining that a specific event like this would cause Soto to disinterest in signing with the Mets would not be justified. Latino players tend to have heated rivalries on the field that are then forgotten outside the stadium, as happens recurrently in the winter leagues.

Specifically, in the case of Siri, it is known that he is a player who supports his teammates and provides excitement in the clubhouse. In the case of Soto signing with the Mets, we could not doubt that the two would make an immediate connection due to Siri's personality and the fact that they are Dominican.