New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yankees take shot at Juan Soto in their playoff hype video

By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 11:01 AM ET

The New York Yankees made sure to show Juan Soto how little they miss him before beginning their official quest for a World Series title.

The Yankees put out a postseason hype video ahead of their American League wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. Midway through the montage, a clip is shown of starting pitcher Max Fried striking out Soto when the Yankees faced the New York Mets earlier this season.

During the portion of the video where Soto is shown striking out, the narrator says the words "and sometimes change is exactly what is needed." That is an obvious shot at Soto for leaving the Yankees in free agency.

The very next frame removes all doubt, as it shows Cody Bellinger blasting a grand slam during a game against the Mets. Part of the caption for the social media post also reads, "Baseball is full of change."

Baseball is full of change.
Our goal remains the same.#RepBX pic.twitter.com/z4EZEnN2TW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 30, 2025

The Yankees acquired Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs after Soto signed with the Mets. Bellinger was outstanding in his first season in pinstripes. The star outfielder hit .272 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI and an .813 OPS.

Juan Soto's first season with the Mets ended in disaster

The Mets missed the playoffs this year following one of the most stunning second-half collapses in MLB history. That is not the result they expected after they signed Soto to a 15-year, $765M contract last winter.

Soto helped lead the Yankees to the World Series last year, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He put up quality numbers with the Mets (.263 average, 43 home runs, 105 RBI, .921 OPS), but none of that matters now that his new team's season has ended before October.

It would be tough to argue that the Yankees are better without Soto in their lineup, but they certainly made the right move by bringing in Bellinger to replace Soto's production. They've earned the right to brag about it.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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