From luxury suite demand to security guard beef: Juan Soto debunks viral Yankees accusations

Juan Soto appeared on the "Abriendo Sports" podcast on Sunday and addressed several accusations leveled against him by disgruntled Yankees fans after he chose to sign with the Mets despite a World Series run in the Bronx last season.

Soto signed a record 15-year, $765 million deal in December to join the New York Mets, and Yankees fans weren’t happy as Soto reportedly declined the team's final 16-year, $760 million offer. However, several rumors surfaced that further fueled their frustration.

Some theories suggested Soto had issues with a Yankees security guard. Another claimed he didn’t feel valued because he wasn’t offered a luxury suite. A rumor also stated that a $40 million gap between the Mets' and Yankees' offers led to his decision. None of these is true, according to Soto.

"It's not true that I had problems with a Yankees security guard; it's not true that I asked for a luxury suite and it's not true that the Yankees reached a point (in the offer) where the difference (with respect to the Mets' offer) was $40 million," Soto said (per NFL insider Hector Gomez).

What unfolded in Juan Soto’s free agency?

Juan Soto's free agency turned into a bidding war among big-market teams, including the Mets, Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays and Red Sox. However, it ultimately came down to the Yankees and Mets before Mets owner Steve Cohen & Co. made the winning offer.

The Mets put forward a 15-year, $765 million contract, setting a record in North American professional sports. However, Soto reportedly asked his agent, Scott Boras, to take the offer back to the Yankees and ask them to match it.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman held firm and did not increase their 16-year, $760 million proposal. That sealed Soto’s decision to join the Mets long term.