The Major League Baseball world is no stranger to surprises. But Juan Soto has a way of taking things to another level. Take, for example, his massive deal with the New York Mets. Who would have thought that a player of his caliber would toss away pinstripes and head to their crossroad rivals? But even before he decided on this, he had made a decision that turned heads and made people question—is he serious?

This is what went down when Juan Soto had rejected the Washington Nationals offer for an extension. They had offered him a massive 15-year, $440 million extension, and he walked off. This decision brought plenty of backlash, and the narrative was—he was making a huge mistake. Sure, in hindsight, this seems to be a great decision now that he has secured a $765 million deal with the Mets. But recently he revealed that he was, in fact, open to staying with Nationals itself.

Talking to Abriendo Sports, Soto said, “If the Nationals had put together a competitive team, I would have signed the contract extension for less than what they offered me ($440 million).” He made it clear—for him it wasn’t about just money; it was about winning games. Understandably, he would have wanted to join the Nationals, given that he had played a key role in their World Series win in his second season at MLB.

However, the truth of the matter is—in baseball—time is money. Players have a handful of years, and they cannot let emotions get the best of themselves. And for all those questioning Juan Soto leaving the New York Yankees for just a suite and the free tickets—maybe it was him choosing a team he believes will win. And if you look at the Yankees now, their roster looks thin, so in the end maybe Juan Soto just knew to invest his time in a team that spent to build a competitive team around him.

Juan Soto adjusting to the Met life better than expected

Juan Soto said, “It’s always been a Mets town,” about New York, and well, he is really fitting into the New York Mets mold well. It hasn’t even been six months, and his transition has left even Carlos Mendoza, the manager, a little shell-shocked. “I didn’t think [the adjustment] was going to be this quick, to be honest with you. I thought it was going to take a little bit longer, but he fit right in. As soon as the position players reported, within a couple of days you could see him laughing, making jokes, especially with some of the Latin players. That was really good to see.” And it’s not just cracking jokes; there is more to it.

Soto stepped into the leadership role in New York Mets without missing a beat. Mendoza couldn’t help but talk about how open Soto has been with his teammates. “When you watch him in the weight room and you watch him in the cages, guys are asking him questions; how open he is to share his knowledge.” For Mendoza, the way Soto is so humble and open is refreshing to him.

Now this isn’t just good news for Soto but also for Francisco Lindor. That’s because Lindor can now take a little backseat knowing that Juan Soto can share some of the leadership responsibilities. Also, Juan Soto is not just being an inspiration to his mates, but also to other players in the league. Recently, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. admitted he turned down a Blue Jays deal because their offer didn’t stack up well to Soto’s payday.

Soto is really taking over MLB, isn’t he? How do you feel he will manage being maybe the face of the franchise now? Let us know in the comments.