BOOMER GOES OFF ON JUAN SOTO!

Juan Soto is not a five-tool player. There, I said it. And frankly, it needed to be said—so thank you, Boomer Esiason, for doing the Lord’s work and calling it like it is. 

Sure, Soto can hit home runs and might even be a clubhouse presence (if we’re being generous), but let’s not kid ourselves: he can’t run, he can’t field, and dare I say... he’s out for himself.

That’s why it was so refreshing to hear Boomer take him to task on the radio after that embarrassing first-game strikeout. If you’re getting paid close to $800 million to play baseball, you better show up like an all-time great. Instead, Soto stepped up to the plate against his old buddy Josh Hader, assumed a fastball was coming (because, well, thinking ahead isn’t really his thing), and got absolutely fooled by a slider. The look on his face? Priceless. And Boomer? He had a field day with it.

Boomer says Juan Soto is not a "needle mover," and the Mets "way overpaid" 😳@WFANmornings pic.twitter.com/q8W6bz6mpG

— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) March 28, 2025

Boomer didn’t just criticize—he buried Soto, calling him “not a needle mover” and flat-out saying the Mets “way overpaid.” And you know what? He’s right. A “needle mover” is a guy who electrifies the game, a guy who fans line up to see. You know who fits that description? Aaron Judge. Shohei Ohtani. Paul Skenes. You know who doesn’t? Juan Soto. He’s a great hitter, but $765 million great? Please.

Boomer laid it out plain and simple: when you sign that kind of contract, you put yourself under the brightest spotlight imaginable. Now, every swing, every defensive blunder, every lazy jog to first will be scrutinized. And Mets fans? They’ll turn on him in a heartbeat. Steve Cohen thought he was making a power move by throwing ridiculous money at Soto, but what he actually did was lock his team into a disastrous deal. The Mets are a big-market team with an even bigger microscope, and Soto is not built for that kind of pressure.

Let’s be honest—he took that deal because other teams were bidding, not because he’s worth it. Boomer even compared him to Ohtani, who literally has networks creating special broadcasts just for his at-bats. Nobody is tuning in just to watch Soto walk to the plate. The Mets didn’t just overpay; they set themselves up for an inevitable disappointment.

Here’s the reality: not all big-money contracts work out. Players get complacent. Players age. And Soto? He’s going to decline, and it’s going to be painful to watch. Homers will come, sure. But a five-tool player? Not even close. And let’s be real—no player, not even a true five-tool guy, deserves an $800 million contract. But especially not Juan Soto.

Boomer was right, and Mets fans better brace themselves. The clock is already ticking.