In the Mets-Yankees rivalry, just one slip—that’s all it takes for a backlash. In the latest segment on Baseball Night, Andy Martino‘s takeaways from the Mets camp did just that.

“Soto is getting used to being a Met and is enjoying his teammates. At the same time, I can tell Soto still misses being a Yankee.” The jovial spring training huddle and such a comment from Martino infuriated fans and thrashes came pouring in.

It might have been a playful quip. But in the universe of New York baseball, where the Mets-Yankees battle has a history, it was just enough to set fans buzzing over social media. But Martino’s remark didn’t just come out of thin air.

Just sometime back, Soto expressed his gratitude towards his former team in an interview. “I want to say thank you to them. They really show me all the love. They really have a spot in my heart.” He revealed that parting ways with the Yankees wasn’t easy, “It’s hard… to leave all the love that they gave me.”

Emotions with an old acquaintance, sure! Because we cannot ignore what Juan Soto shared during his introductory speech.

He fired up the rivalry by naming New York a Mets Town. “New York has been a Mets town for a long time. I think we just have to bring it to the top. Championships are going to tell you if it’s a Yankees or a Mets town at the end of the day.” 

And now, he seems to be building strong chemistry with the new team. Apparently, that’s convincing fans about him being a true Met.

Adding to that belief, a viral video from the Dominican Republic displayed Soto celebrating with his family and friends when a merengue song played behind him. The lyrics, “El Bronx, Yankee, que viva New York,” traditionally celebrate the Yankees, but Soto tweaked that a bit with “Los Mets” instead of “Yankees.” 

A little but conscious gesture – definitely bringing in NYM fans to Soto’s favor. Don’t you think?

Martino’s remarks didn’t sit well with the Mets fans

According to the Mets fans, Martino’s comments were provocative. They were furious at Martino for stirring the hot pot.

One fan showed their frustration evidently by pointing out “You could have just ended it at ‘he’s fitting in nicely with the new group’…” Given the intense Subway Series rivalry, fans seem irritated with the comparison. Plus Soto’s powerful beginning with the Mets has fueled fans’ excitement. Juan Soto didn’t flinch to make an immediate impact, already launching two home runs in his very first spring training with his new team. So, hearing Martino claim that Soto still ‘misses’ the Yankees felt disruptive.

Well, let’s just say the other reactions from the fans were even harsher. Martino was accused of baiting controversy, suggesting that his statements were designed to build tension between Mets and Yankees supporters. While acknowledging Martino’s right to comment, the fan views his statement as intentional.

Given the well-known Mets-Yankees rivalry, fans saw Martino’s statements as more than just reporting. According to them, it was more like an attempt to cast doubt on Soto’s loyalty to the team. A few months ago, Martino faced comparable criticism after reporting that Pete Alonso wouldn’t be returning to the Mets, again, “stirring the pot” that didn’t stand the test of time. 

Martino, aware of the growing tension among fans, quickly attempted to clarify his stance. He responded on X with “This is exactly what I saw in Port St. Lucie last week: Juan Soto, a fun-loving young player, fitting in nicely with his new group after a year with his previous team that was very special to him. End of conversation.” However, this clarification only made things more fierce. Fans didn’t buy it. “You said he misses the Yankees, guy. Don’t change that now.” Some fans even took direct shots at his credibility. They felt Martino was contradicting his statements after seeing the flooded backlash.

Martino may not have intended to create this chaos, but in the world of baseball, once you’ve upset a fanbase, there’s no way out. And moreover, at this point, it is barely about Soto’s remarks. It is more about how Martino framed it and the ongoing tension between the Mets and the Yankees.