On April 5, during the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins game, Yankees fans decided to chant “F— Juan Soto!” in the 8th inning. Soto played in the Bronx during the 2024 season, but left after one year to sign with the New York Mets as a free agent in December 2024.

It was an interesting time to use an NSFW chant at the former Yankees player since he’s not playing for the Marlins, and the Mets don’t play their crosstown rival until May.

As a result, Michael Kay of ESPN New York is calling out fans who partook in the chant, noting that it makes the Yankees, the biggest club in baseball, look like a small-market team.

“It’s an awful look,” Kay said on April 6 on ESPN New York. “It’s not something that should become a thing. It’s an awful look. You look like babies. You look like jilted lovers. You’re upset that Juan Soto left you for the Mets.

“There’s nothing that would have led you, a right-minded fan, to chant that [on April 5]. Nothing. You make yourself look small. You make yourself look jealous. You make yourself look like you can’t accept the fact that somebody left you.”

Michael Kay Defends Juan Soto After NSFW Chant

Moreover, Kay defended Soto’s decision, given that the Mets star was a free agent and could choose the situation that was best for him to continue his career.

“Juan Soto didn’t do anything wrong,” Kay added. “He went to the Mets, who had a better deal on the table. When you look at everything, when you just look at the numbers, it looks like it’s a difference of about $5 million. It’s not. It’s way more than that. And he made the decision he wanted to make.

“That doesn’t mean you make yourself look so small-town, where this becomes a thing like ‘bleep Altuve,’ and now it becomes ‘bleep Juan Soto.’ No, that’s not good. That’s a bad look for Yankees fans if this becomes a thing.

“Juan Soto does not deserve it, No. 1. No. 2, you are giving ammunition to Mets fans to say, ‘See? We’re in their head. They can’t get over the fact they lost Juan Soto.’ What are you doing? Who are the people that did it?”

Michael Kay Doesn’t Understand Yankees Fans’ Hate

Moreover, Kay ended his segment on the matter, not understanding why there’s animosity toward Soto, noting that in the one season he was in the Bronx, he helped get the team to the World Series.

“It wasn’t everybody,” Kay said. “If it was everybody, I probably would have heard it through my headset. But it was enough people that it carried over to the television, and they heard it. Shame on all of you.

“Disgraceful. Don’t do that. You know how ridiculous it makes you look? What’s the end game? To look jealous? To look small? All Juan Soto did in his one year with the Yankees was help them get to the World Series. That’s all he did. And now you’re going to bleep Juan Soto?”

Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo