The center of the baseball world will be at Yankee Stadium next Friday when Juan Soto returns to the Bronx for the first time since signing a record-breaking $765 million contract with crosstown rival New York Mets. And one New York sports legend wants Yankees fans to show Soto how he betrayed them.
Former Giants running back and WFAN radio host Tiki Barber doesn’t want Yankees fans to show Soto any respect when he takes right field.
“Tiki Barber has called for everybody to just turn their backs to Juan Soto,” WFAN host Keith McPherson told the “Foul Territory” podcast, adding that he doesn’t think that will actually happen.
"Tiki Barber has called for everybody to just turn their backs to Juan Soto." 😂@Keith_McPherson says he'll be BOOING Juan Soto at Yankee Stadium next Friday. pic.twitter.com/i6rvVZjIT5
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 8, 2025
Despite reaching the World Series with the Yankees and having one of the best seasons of his career — finishing third in AL MVP voting after hitting 41 home runs, with a .989 OPS, 178 OPS+, 7.9 bWAR and an AL-leading 128 runs — he bolted the Bronx after one year for Queens.
Mets fans rejoiced when Soto donned the blue and orange while Yankees fans were disappointed and frustrated they wouldn’t have a generational talent teaming with Aaron Judge for years to come.
With the animosity between the two fan bases running high, McPherson believes next weekend’s games at Yankee Stadium will be like a “legit movie.”
“It’s going to be insane,” noted McPherson. “The ‘F’ Juan Soto chants started a long time ago. They’re selling those shirts. The Yankees are in first place, the Mets are in first place. It’s going to be a collision course.”
McPherson, who will be at the game, plans on giving Soto the Bronx cheer.
“I think I’m going to probably boo.”
In 38 games with the Mets, Soto has seven home runs and is slashing .261/.385/.478, with a 148 OPS+ and 1.6 bWAR.
