Juan Soto has always thrived under the spotlight, but when it comes to handling tough media moments, he still has room to grow. That became evident during a recent interview with the New York Post, where Soto commented on the difference between hitting in front of Aaron Judge last season and his current situation with the Mets.
Soto stated, “I had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me,” referring to Judge, and added that he was pitched to more often, with fewer intentional walks last year. While it’s clear he meant to highlight how lineup protection affects a batter’s approach, some took it as a slight against his new Mets teammates—especially considering he now has Pete Alonso, a top slugger himself, hitting behind him.
BT went off on Juan Soto for his comments to the New York Post about adjusting to life without Aaron Judge.
Listen to his rant: https://t.co/1exBvD5g0i pic.twitter.com/YlgyfyH0Ob
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) April 15, 2025
Veteran commentator Brandon Tierney didn’t hold back, criticizing Soto’s remarks as ill-timed and unnecessary so early in his Mets tenure. “This is a bad play,” Tierney said, suggesting Soto’s comments could be viewed as ungrateful toward his current team.
Statistically, Soto’s observation holds some weight. He’s seeing fewer pitches in the strike zone this season—43.2% compared to 46.5% with the Yankees last year. That could be due to a lack of protection or simply pitchers adjusting more carefully to his presence at the plate. But regardless, the perception of disrespect created some friction.
Aaron Judge, meanwhile, brushed off any controversy. He encouraged Soto to “just keep being himself,” referencing his own slow start to 2024 as an example of how to stay focused. Despite Soto’s power numbers being down—just 2 home runs and 6 RBIs through 16 games—he’s still maintaining an impressive .400 OBP.
The expectation is that as Alonso heats up at the plate, pitchers will be forced to attack Soto more directly, reducing the number of intentional walks and giving him more chances to showcase his power.
Soto is an elite hitter, and most believe it’s only a matter of time before his numbers reflect that. But managing media narratives and team dynamics may prove just as important as his on-field performance.