During Juan Soto’s introductory press conference at Citi Field last December, I had a conversation with Brandon Nimmo, who was at my home in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The excitement surrounding Soto’s $765 million contract was still fresh in my mind.
Nimmo expressed his enthusiasm about the Mets landing a player of Soto’s caliber, especially since they outmaneuvered the Yankees, who were also eyeing him.
“Growing up, it always felt like the Yankees secured the best players. They just went out and bought them,” Nimmo reflected. “That was the norm. Now, seeing the Mets bring in someone like Soto is a shift in the landscape. I think it’s great to see it happening this way.”
In some ways, the term “brother” that Yankees fans use for the Mets reflects how the teams are starting to even out. For at least this moment, the rivals from the boroughs seem to be on a more level playing field. One could even argue that the Mets have taken a lead by winning the Soto sweepstakes.
