Boos for Soto. Cheers for the U.S.A.
After a pregame ceremony that focused on uniting New Yorkers after 9/11, there was a return to normalcy rather quickly at Yankee Stadium.
The Mets were loudly booed during the pregame introductions, as expected. But that was nothing compared to the greeting Juan Soto received upon stepping to the plate for the first time. Soto, who finished third in the AL MVP voting during his only season with the Yankees in 2024 — not to mention helping them get to the World Series — was jeered relentlessly during his first inning at-bat.
Ultimately, the crowd moved off Soto and switched to "U-S-A" chants instead before Soto struck out (and raucous cheers ensued).
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
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