By Jonathan Burgos –
Juan Soto and the New York Mets faced their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees, in a spring game exhibition. It’s the first time after the Mets signed Soto to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 contract in December, a contract that can reach $805 million.
Soto made a rare comment on Yankees Aaron Judge. “I loved to watch Judge last year,” Soto said. “He was incredible. And the way he handled himself, that’s my favorite hitter so far.”
The 26-year-old had the best 162-game season of his career in 2024 with the Yankees, hitting 288 with a .989 OPS and posting career highs in hits (156), run scored (128), and home runs (41).
The Yankees were the first ones to get on the board as Pablo Reyes hit a home run in the second inning. Yankees pitcher
Marcus Stroman striked out four, giving up two home runs and walking two in his outing while throwing 66 pitches in 3.2 innings. He got Jesse Winker to swing at an 80mph splitter for the strikeout, and he also strikes out Reyes with the 80mph cutter in the top of the second inning.
The Mets, on the other hand, had their bats swinging as Brett Batty hits a Homer off the splitter to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Mets pitcher AJ Minter striked out two, giving up only one run, ending his outing for the day. He threw 20 pitches reaching his max pitches.
Yankees Jazz Chisolm singled for an RBI to give the Yanks the 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Pete Alonso (aka polar bear) ties the game with a Homer off the slider to right field his second of spring training. Another pitching change for the Mets has Danny Young replaces Minter he would go to throw 26 pitches, three strikeouts, and a walk. As we hit the late innings at the bottom of the fifth Hayden Sengers of the Mets, RBI single to give the Mets the 3-2 lead, Luis Acuna scores.
The Yankees aren’t done as Spencer Jone’s solo Homer’s to give the Yanks the 6-3 lead in the bottom of the eight. Mets rally caps were on as Mets Brandon Nimmo crushes a game-tying homerun.
Both teams would end the game in a tie as this is the last spring training game before the regular season. The Mets set there focus on as they hit the road to take on the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, Thursday, March 27th. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:10pm ETD.