Rich Eisen could not believe what he was hearing from Juan Soto.
After playing one season for the Yankees, Soto signed across town with the Mets on a 15-year deal worth $765 million.
Eisen, a lifelong Yankees fan, wasn’t upset with Soto over the financial decision, per se, but took issue with one peculiar comment made by the superstar outfielder during his introductory press conference.
Rich Eisen took issue with one line from Juan Soto’s introductory press conference with the Mets.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Juan Soto introduced as newest member of the New York Mets on December 12, 2024 at Citi Field in Flushing New York.George Napolitano / SplashNews.com
“It’s been a Mets town for a long time,” Soto said.
Eisen was perplexed.
“This one got me,” Eisen said on his eponymous multi-platform show. “It’s the last paragraph of the ESPN story where I’m reading about what yesterday was about. Juan Soto ‘It’s been a Mets town for a long time’. What is he talking about? Juan, I’ve been around New York City for 55 years. He’s been around for the proverbial New York minute. Dude, get out of here. Get out of here with that noise. It is just like here in Los Angeles. Clipper town? Get out of here. It’s a Mets town? Yeah, in your head. He just lived the Yankee life for a year.”
Eisen continued to rail on this choice of words.
“Don’t give me this nonsense that it’s been a Mets town for a long time. A long time?” he asked.
Eisen compared the respective pedigree of the two franchises.
“Guess what? For 100 years, there have been championships from the Yankees,” he said. “The Mets have 1969 and 1986. Get out of here … That I will not countenance.”
Soto spent last season with the Yankees after being traded by the Padres. and helped the Bronx Bombers reach their first World Series since 2009.