"Derek Jeter had to pay, Aaron Judge has to pay" - Sportscaster claims Yankees didn't make exception for Juan Soto in light of Mets giving free suite

The New York Mets pulled off a seismic move in MLB history after securing Juan Soto on a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract on Sunday night.

The 26-year-old left-handed slugger had a fantastic season with the New York Yankees but declined a reported 16-year, $760 million deal to rejoin them next year.

Juan Soto was unveiled by the New York Mets in a press conference on Thursday. He said that being offered a free suite for him and his family at Citi Field played a factor in his joining the Mets.

Veteran sportscaster Rich Eisen said that New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter paid for his own suite, as does the current captain, Aaron Judge, so the Yankees were never going to make that exception for the marquee free agent this offseason.

Riche Eisen said on his eponymous 'The Rich Eisen Show' on Roku about the comments from Soto on Thursday.

"The recriminations are already out there," he said. "You're hearing what the Yankees said: 'We're not going to give your family a suite in the stadium. Jeter had to pay for his. Judge has to pay for his. That's the way we do business here. Not going to make an exception.'"

"[Mets owner] Steve Cohen is like, 'What the hell do I care? It's just money. Let me light some more on fire,'" he added.

Mets owner Steve Cohen is regarded as the richest among all the MLB teams, with a total wealth estimated at over $21 billion.

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Rich Eisen uses Moneyball analogy for Yankees strategy to replace Juan Soto

The Mets signed Juan Soto to the largest contract in North American sports history (Image Source: Imagn)

Juan Soto hit a career-high 41 home runs and 109 RBIs in his solo campaign with the New York Yankees and finished in third place in the American League MVP voting.

Sportscaster Rich Eisen, a long-time Yankees fan, used a reference from the Hollywood movie Moneyball to suggest a strategy for the Yankees in replacing the offensive production of Juan Soto.

"The reason I bring this movie up [is], like, whatever Juan Soto's on-base percentage is, let's just two or three guys and add it up, and that's what you're going to get,' he said.

"We're replacing [Jason] Giambi here," he continued. "It's not that we couldn't keep Giambi because we couldn't afford it. It's just that the other guy was a total mercenary and wanted to take five cents more than what the Yankees were offering. And take the free suite even though he's going to get $760 million."

Jason Giambi is a former five-time All-Star and AL MVP who was the superstar first baseman of the Oakland Athletics before signing for the New York Yankees as a free agent at the end of the 2001 season.