Juan Soto has worn No. 22 since breaking into the big leagues with the Washington Nationals in 2018. So when he signed his $765 million deal with the New York Mets in the offseason there remained one obstacle in his way to keep the number.
Enter Brett Baty.
Baty, a 25-year-old third baseman who has played parts of three seasons with the Mets, wore No. 22 since he was called up in 2022. After a January conversation with Soto, the team’s 2019 first-round pick decided to give up his number, but not without getting something in return.
On Thursday, Soto delivered a brand-new SUV for Baty and presented it to him outside the team’s Spring Training facility.
“I really appreciate the number,” Soto told Baty in the video. “It’s the first one I ever wore.”
Baty is changing to No. 7 this season, in honor of José Reyes and Joe Mauer, two players he admired growing up.
“I’m happy he’s the one,” Baty said recently about their conversation. “Out of anyone in the league, like, the best hitter in the league? I’d love for him to wear that number.”
This trade follows last year’s campaign by former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly’s wife, Ashley, who offered Shohei Ohtani her husband’s No. 17 if he signed with the team. Once he did, Ohtani delivered a new Porsche.
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