Verducci wrote, "Juan Soto wants to get one thing straight. 'The Yankees were No. 1,' he says of his preference entering free agency. 'From Day One.'" So the team Soto helped lead to the World Series in 2024 held the top spot on his list entering the offseason but somehow lost the chase for his services.

The contest was the first time that Soto played the Yankees since leaving them in the winter. The 26-year-old signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets in free agency, leaving the Bronx Bombers behind after helping them get to the World Series last season.

After the meeting ended and Soto departed, Cohen told Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns that Soto was “going back to the Yankees.” But to his surprise, Cohen got a call from Soto’s agent Scott Boras the next morning that stunned the Mets owner.