Juan Soto gifted Brett Baty a Chevy Tahoe after the rookie relinquished his jersey number, No. 22, during the offseason. This generous gesture comes on the heels of Soto’s remarkable $765 million contract with the New York Mets.
In a heartwarming moment captured on video at the Mets’ spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Baty was visibly shocked as he received the keys to his new vehicle. “Oh, no you didn’t! No you didn’t! My guy! My guy!” he exclaimed, clearly overwhelmed by the surprise.
Soto, who adorned the SUV with a bow, expressed his gratitude for Baty’s willingness to give up the number he had worn throughout his career. “I really appreciate the number. It’s the first number I ever wore,” Soto said, emphasizing the sentimental value of No. 22. “I thought I’d give you something nice.”
Baty, still in disbelief, responded, “Well, this is definitely really nice,” as he climbed inside the Tahoe to check it out. “How do I look?” he asked Soto from the driver’s seat.
“It’s all you,” Soto replied with a smile. “Enjoy.” Baty then praised Soto, saying, “You’re the man. Let’s have a great year.”
The Chevy Tahoe, valued at $93,000, was a thoughtful choice by Soto, who learned it was Baty’s dream vehicle. “For me, it was great. It was a great feeling,” Soto told reporters. “We went through our sources and tried to make sure it was a car he likes.”
Prior to this generous gift, Baty had been driving a 2016 Toyota 4Runner, which he had used since high school. As Soto noted, No. 22 held special significance for him, as he had worn it with his previous teams, making it a vital part of his identity as a player.
Baty will now don No. 7, a number he chose in honor of former Mets stars José Reyes and Joe Mauer. He expressed no hard feelings about Soto taking his old number, stating, “I’m happy he’s the one. Out of anyone in the league, like, the best hitter in the league? I’d love for him to wear that number.”
