Well, did you think that the highest ever contract in sports history would stop making headlines right after winter? Nope! And this time, it’s kinda happening for all the wrong reasons. When Soto decided to leave the Yankees for a 15-year, $765 million contract with their fierce rivals, the Mets, fans were in disbelief. But the Mets invested in the superstar for a reason. However, after his return to the Bronx this weekend, smoke signals of doubt are rising in the front office.

Soto had mentioned he was ready for the return, but the relentless “F— Soto” chants in a sold-out stadium for three days straight are not something anyone can just shake off.

The Yanks defeated the Mets by taking two out of three games of the most-awaited Subway Series. Soto’s performance and the whole demeanor were a true disappointment to anyone who hoped for a fiery fight. This raised questions: Is he not happy in his new home? According to one MLB journalist, if anyone is heavily concerned, it’s the Mets management.

NJ.com’s Bob Klapisch pointed out that Soto seemed to be in a terrible mood the whole time. “I’m told they’re concerned about Soto’s lack of enthusiasm for his new team,” he writes. Well, Soto definitely wasn’t cheerful. “The only time Soto seemed happy this weekend was while he interacted with Judge, manager Aaron Boone, and second baseman Jazz Chisholm during batting practice.”

Tbh, this was not what Steve Cohen expected when he offered him—well, literally everything he asked for. But here we are… Even though Mets’ Manager Carlos Mendoza shared, “He is loving it,” his recent actions say something else. He even backed out of ESPN’s mic’d up segment. Let’s be real… no player does that.

The real Soto game has been missing this entire season, and the Subway Series was no different. He finished one for ten, with four walks, two stolen bases, and two runs. Though that was a delight for the Yankees, this is not what the Mets signed him up for. Remember his time with the Yankees? He finished the season with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, with an average of .288. But this season, his misfortunes don’t seem to end.

Soto had a quiet start with the Mets. He is batting with an average of .246, with 8 home runs and 20 RBIs in 46 games. And if he continues at the same rate, he would end up with only 28 home runs and 70 RBIs. That’s a huge drop from his Yankees season. No wonder, his luxury demands are getting ridiculed!

He even got a private jet chartered from the Mets in addition to a luxury suite. Seems like Steve Cohen was hell-bent on getting him. He went all in to outspend Hal Steinbrenner. The Mets could’ve had A-Rod on their team if they had agreed to the same demand of a private jet, but back then, they didn’t…

There seems to be a favorite, clearly, considering how poorly they treated Pete Alonso’s contract extension demands. So, we might have expected the trolls coming…

Fans stirring the Soto pot as the jet buzz adds to the heat

After the series finale, just when things finally started to calm down, one broadcaster on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball lit up another social media storm. They casually suggested that Soto might be flying separately from his teammates in a private jet. His refusal to appear for ESPN’s mic’d up and not answering the media after the game fueled these allegations. And that was all it took to trigger the already-frustrated fans.

Fans took to social media and registered their take. Some even demanded an investigation into the team’s spending on Soto. That doubt on overboard spending can’t be ignored, as everyone knows that he is already getting a luxury suite. And not only fans, but even WFAN’s radio hosts, Gio and Boomer, ridiculed the jet demands. “It was a bad weekend for him. So now he and his family can get on the private jet and go up to Boston.” And when something like this surfaces, it’s only normal that his family would also be dragged into this.

“His family coerced him to sign with the Mets, all for some extras in his contract FOR THEM.” This take feels like an extension of the rumors behind his historic deal. His wife and mother were accused of pressuring him to sign for the Mets for the monetary gains, and people also believe he was not interested in leaving the Bronx. Can this be ignored as baseless? Maybe! But his struggles to coze up to the new team might suggest otherwise, no?

A multi-million-dollar offer does not lend itself to creating a cohesive team. “Getting a private Jet for away games while your teammates have to travel as normal is crazy work. No wonder why there’s a disconnect between him and his teammates.” This comment by one fan only deepens the doubts. Even though Carloz Mendoza tried to shake off any rumors of Soto being unhappy in his new team, the buzz still lingers in the air, only increasing after every game. The Mets’ favoritism to Soto is not as subtle as they think…

One fan even called out Steve Cohen. “@StevenACohen2 have Soto travel with the team and not on a private jet, that is totally wrong not being with his team mates while traveling no more perks for this ball player and time to be more strict.“ This is only natural when you love your team and not one single player. Even after ESPN’s Jeff Passan tried to clear the air by revealing, “He flies on the team plane. There is no private-jet provision in his contract for him or his family,” fans are not entirely convinced. Many saw this as a PR stunt to save Soto’s face, as his extensive demands during the signing were all over the news. But even amid the rising criticisms, he still seems to have support.

“This is irrelevant nonsense that New York media cooks up. Who gives a f—. If he was playing to his standard this wouldn’t even be talked about.” Well, that is true! If only Soto were performing well, everyone would have just minded their own business. The focus would’ve been on his play and nothing else, even if that includes the costliest deal in sports history. Who would’ve given a damn really if he could top every chart in the league or at least near it! But that is not the case here; not only is he in a slump with no signs of coming out, but his swag in the field is also missing.

The intensity and consistency of Soto that we saw throughout last year with the Yankees are missing this season. And now, we are looking at a guy who doesn’t even seem like he’s trying too hard. When your team spent a whopping $765 million, all you expect in return is for the player to justify that price tag. But when that’s not the case, he’ll have to brace for even harsher criticism.

Well, if his ugly slump continues, this historic deal could start looking like a massive blunder. Let us just hope that is not how this season turns out.