Steve Cohen and the New York Mets made a move Tuesday that will certainly raise eyebrows: José Siri, the flashy yet offensively inconsistent outfielder from the Tampa Bay Rays, is headed to Queens in exchange for reliever Eric Orze. While Siri is a defensive dynamo—leading all center fielders in defensive runs saved last season—his bat left a lot to be desired, hitting just .187 with 18 home runs and 14 stolen bases. But let's be real, Yankees fans, the real story here isn’t Siri’s stat line—it's the potential drama that could come with this signing, especially when it comes to the Mets' pursuit of Juan Soto.
Sure, there's no official documentation of a personal beef between Siri and Soto, but let’s not kid ourselves: these two don’t exactly get along. The tension was crystal clear last summer when Soto, while playing for the Yankees, took his sweet time trotting around the bases after hitting a bomb off the Rays. Now, anyone who’s seen Soto's home runs knows he enjoys a good trot, but this one felt different. It seemed like a very direct response to José Siri’s antics earlier in the game. While Soto never outright admitted it, the slow stroll around the bases was impossible to ignore—especially when the boos from the Yankee Stadium crowd turned into applause as he relished every moment.
Soto was asked about it after the game and played it cool with a dismissive answer: "I don’t know what [José Siri] was doing, actually. For me, I just — you know, hot weather. Tough day. Tried to save the hammies and make sure I go nice and easy." Sure, Juan. We get it—you were just trying to avoid injury. But the message was loud and clear: Soto doesn’t care for Siri's antics.
Now, with Siri’s move to the Mets, a new complication arises for New York’s long-term plans to land Soto. Soto, as we all know, isn’t one to share the spotlight easily, Judge being the exception. He's one of the game's brightest stars, and if you think he's going to willingly split center stage with someone like Siri—who's as ego-driven as they come—then think again. Siri may be a defensive wizard, but he's also a player who craves attention, and it's clear that Soto isn’t the biggest fan of that.
The Mets might think they’ve struck gold with Siri’s glove, but this could come back to bite them in a big way when it comes time to woo Soto. Juan’s not about to share a locker room with a guy who rubbed him the wrong way on the field—and he definitely won’t want to deal with a Siri-sized distraction while trying to take the Mets to the next level. In my opinion, if the Mets truly want to compete for Soto’s services, they’ll have to get past this little ego clash—and with Steve Cohen’s recent blunder, it’s hard to see how that’ll happen.
While the Mets' new acquisition may cause some headaches in their quest for Soto, the Yankees have a much more harmonious option. Soto just had a magical run with the Yankees, one that ended in a World Series appearance. And while the Mets are busy making questionable moves, the Yankees are building a championship-contending culture that Soto could easily see himself in for the long haul. If the cash is close, it seems pretty clear that Soto will go with the familiar—especially when he could have a legitimate shot at more titles with the Yankees.
The reality is this: the Mets’ move to sign Siri is likely to cause enough friction to derail any real shot they have at Soto. But the Mets have made their bed, and I’m not sure Soto will want to lie in it.
At the end of the day, this feels like another misstep by Steve Cohen’s Mets. Adding Siri to the mix not only complicates their outfield but also makes it more likely that Soto will look elsewhere—like, say, New York’s other team. If you’re a Yankees fan, this is a win—and a big middle finger to the Mets, whose latest move just made their Soto pursuit all the more difficult. Keep your eyes on the prize, Yankees fans—the Mets just gave us a gift.
Now, with Siri’s move to the Mets, a new complication arises for New York’s long-term plans to land Soto. Soto, as we all know, isn’t one to share the spotlight easily, Judge being the exception. He's one of the game's brightest stars, and if you think he's going to willingly split center stage with someone like Siri—who's as ego-driven as they come—then think again. Siri may be a defensive wizard, but he's also a player who craves attention, and it's clear that Soto isn’t the biggest fan of that.
The Mets might think they’ve struck gold with Siri’s glove, but this could come back to bite them in a big way when it comes time to woo Soto. Juan’s not about to share a locker room with a guy who rubbed him the wrong way on the field—and he definitely won’t want to deal with a Siri-sized distraction while trying to take the Mets to the next level. In my opinion, if the Mets truly want to compete for Soto’s services, they’ll have to get past this little ego clash—and with Steve Cohen’s recent blunder, it’s hard to see how that’ll happen.
While the Mets' new acquisition may cause some headaches in their quest for Soto, the Yankees have a much more harmonious option. Soto just had a magical run with the Yankees, one that ended in a World Series appearance. And while the Mets are busy making questionable moves, the Yankees are building a championship-contending culture that Soto could easily see himself in for the long haul. If the cash is close, it seems pretty clear that Soto will go with the familiar—especially when he could have a legitimate shot at more titles with the Yankees.
The reality is this: the Mets’ move to sign Siri is likely to cause enough friction to derail any real shot they have at Soto. But the Mets have made their bed, and I’m not sure Soto will want to lie in it.
At the end of the day, this feels like another misstep by Steve Cohen’s Mets. Adding Siri to the mix not only complicates their outfield but also makes it more likely that Soto will look elsewhere—like, say, New York’s other team. If you’re a Yankees fan, this is a win—and a big middle finger to the Mets, whose latest move just made their Soto pursuit all the more difficult. Keep your eyes on the prize, Yankees fans—the Mets just gave us a gift.
Siri wasn't a signing, he was traded to the Mets.
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