The New York Yankees fans may have had a change of heart about Juan Soto. As much as they wanted the Dominican star to rejoin the Yankees, his declining to play for them has many seeing this move as a ‘betrayal’. The Yankees, after all, were ready to pay a whopping $760 million and $60 million as a bonus signing; yet, Soto decided to take the New York Mets’ proposal of $765 million. But adding insult to injury was the fact that Soto might have chosen the crosstown team just by looking at the perks.

Juan Soto’s mother had demanded a suite at Yankee Stadium, and Hal Steinbrenner lost his cool, saying, “We’re going to pay you $760 million, and you can’t pay for your suite? We don’t give away suites at Yankee Stadium.” He had further mentioned that no one, from Aaron Judge to even Derek Jeter and CC Sabathia, was given such treatment. So, when fans and industry insiders got the tidbits, many claimed Soto wasn’t a true franchise player, with Alex Rodriguez’s recent words hitting differently. Reflecting on his 2009 Yankees, the last team to bring a ring to New York, A-Rod credited their success to ‘team effort’ and ‘lack of egos’.

A-Rod reminds the importance of teamwork over talent 

Alex Rodriguez gave a mantra about how to build a good team: “Take a good team, add buy-in and diversity, and you will have a great team”—this was the caption of the video, where he was caught talking about how their 2009 Yankee team was different. A-Rod noted, “Everyone at one hundred percent. You can’t win with a divided team. I’d rather have a good team that’s committed than a great team full of egos. You can’t win with that, and it’s toxic.” He also highlighted how the team back then was diverse, not just by ethnicity but in age groups, skill sets, and experience.

When Alex Rodriguez joined the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter was the face of the franchise—things weren’t all that blossoming between them. The Dominican star’s previous media statements had hurt Jeter, but that didn’t stop them from putting the thing that mattered the most first—the team and winning. They had several players, including Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada, who, as A-Rod mentioned, had a complete package.

So, the team could make contact, hit with power, and also had great pitching. Alex Rodriguez’s message is simple: success isn’t dependent on one player; it’s a shared goal of the team. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the New York Yankee players after the Juan Soto loss.

Did Juan Soto choose perks over pinstripe?

Juan Soto sure has the suite, the security, the crazy bonus amount, and the various perks Steve Cohen chimed in, but he did lose some fans along the way. Gary Sheffield Jr., son of former Yankee player Gary Sheffield Jr., hinted with his statements that Soto’s choice did hurt the Yankees; he gave the example of A-Rod, how he is a generational franchise player, and what the lengths he went to wear pinstripes.

Sheffield Jr. mentioned, “Man not only asked to put on the pinstripes but moved positions to make it work, knowing he was not just the best shortstop but the best player on the team’, hinting that Soto simply didn’t see the value of the place. However, Sheffield Jr. is not wrong to state how good a player A-Rod was—it’s not easy when, at the peak of the career, one is asked to step into a different role—and Rodriguez didn’t flinch. He was ready to leave the shortstop position to Derek Jeter and step into third base so that he could be with the franchise as big as the Yankees.

Sheffield Jr.’s comment highlighted a stark contrast between two players, one who sees the Yankees as an honor and the other may be a bargaining chip. Do you think the Yankees dodged a bullet with this loss? Let us know below.