MLB: New York Mets-Workouts – Source: Imagn

The New York Mets made the biggest splash of the offseason signing Juan Soto to the highest annual value contract in MLB history. Presumed to reside in New York for the better part of the next 15 years, it’s of utmost importance that he gets along with his teammates while making his home in “The City That Never Sleeps.”

Having played with the Nationals, Padres, and Yankees for the first seven years of his professional career and never once having an issue with any of his teammates, reporters gauged Soto’s temperature Thursday with the intent of finding out how the All-Star outfielder is settling in with his new batch of cohorts.

Following a spring training practice at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie on Thursday, Juan Soto told reporters (via SNY):

“It’s been really cool to get to know these guys … It’s a new group of guys. A lot of guys coming from another organization, but it’s cool to see how they get along and how they’ve been building this team to win a championship.”

Soto has come to terms with the fact that New York will be his playing residence for the foreseeable future.

“It’s a new place I’m learning. It’s kind of weird. After all these years of changing teams here and there, it’s a different vibe. It’s unbelievable. I don’t believe it yet. I’m still in between learning and actually seeing the spotlight that this is actually where I’m going to be for the next 15 years. It’s been fun.”

Soto and his teammates will get along even better than they have over the last week if the New York Mets are able to take another step and build off last year’s NLCS appearance.

Juan Soto rewards Brett Baty for his selflessness

A cool story came out of Port St. Lucie on Thursday morning when Brett Baty learned Juan Soto had bought him a brand-new SUV. He did so due to the Mets backup infielder giving up his No. 22 jersey and offering it to New York’s $765 million man as a welcome gift to his new team. The Mets posted the surprise unveiling on Instagram:

The move no doubt built some chemistry between the two players, and Baty couldn’t have been more thrilled to have given his jersey number up to a player of Juan Soto’s caliber.

“I’m happy he’s the one,” Baty said (via MLB.com). “Out of anyone in the league, like, the best hitter in the league? I’d love for him to wear that number.”

Apparently, Baty still owned the 2016 Toyota 4 Runner with 150K miles on it that he had been driving since high school. For years he had been coming into spring training saying he was going to get a new car. Soto finally made it a reality, and he couldn’t be happier about it.