Young catcher Francisco Alvarez is not afraid to admit he’d love for his New York Mets to sign Juan Soto of the New York Yankees assuming the All-Star outfielder reaches free agency after the 2024 World Series as most expect.
“I would really like it if he was going to play with the Mets,” Alvarez recently said about Soto, as shared by MLB reporter Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports. “For me, it would be great. He’s the guy that, everything I want to have is like him. He’s one of the best players in the game.”
As recently as last week, Soto spoke carefully about conversations agent Scott Boras will likely have with big-spending Mets owner Steve Cohen this fall. Jon Heyman of the New York Post said this past Tuesday that individuals within the Yankees “seem to understand” that the 25-year-old acquired via a December trade with the San Diego Padres will test free agency following the season.
Alvarez previously got to know Soto when both were represented by Boras. The 22-year-old widely praised for giving the Mets a needed spark in June switched to the agency that features entertainment superstar Bad Bunny last year.
“I practiced with him a couple times in the offseason,” Alvarez added about interactions he’s had with Soto. “I got to know him a little bit. I love how he plays the game. He enjoys the game. I enjoy the game. We have fun. We talk, since I know him before, we talk during the game. I like how he works his confidence, and how he looks — he looks very confident every time when he goes to play baseball. He’s different. His confidence is different. I feel like my confidence is different, too. I like to play like him.”
It was suggested when the Mets were floundering in late May that Soto “is not going to play for a joke of a team.” However, the 40-41 Amazins began Monday two games back in the battle for the National League’s third wild-card playoff berth.
Whether or not Soto would be more likely to accept Cohen’s offer if the Mets remain in the postseason hunt through September shall be seen, but it seems the slugger already has at least one friend in that particular clubhouse.
