Juan Soto, the New York Mets' newest acquisition, has worn No. 22 since his Major League Baseball debut with the Washington Nationals in 2018. However, upon joining the Mets this offseason with a staggering $765 million contract, Soto faced a small hurdle: Mets third baseman Brett Baty already had the No. 22 jersey.
Brett Baty’s generosity towards Juan Soto
Baty, 25, has been with the Mets since 2022, and he had donned the No. 22 jersey since being called up to the big leagues. However, following a conversation with Soto in January, Baty decided to make the generous gesture of relinquishing his number for the star outfielder. While giving up the number, Baty certainly received something valuable in return.
On Thursday, Soto presented Baty with a brand-new SUV outside the Mets’ spring training facility as a thank-you for his sacrifice. The thoughtful gesture was a fitting way to solidify their budding relationship and build camaraderie on the team.
A new ride for Baty gifted by Juan Soto
Baty shared with reporters that he had been driving a 2016 Toyota 4Runner, a car he has owned since his high school days. After some sleuthing with the help of his teammates, Soto ensured that Baty received "the car of his dreams." The generous SUV was a token of gratitude from Soto, highlighting his desire to make his teammate’s transition to No. 7 even more special.
A nod to baseball legends
In addition to the number swap, Baty revealed he would be changing to No. 7 this season, a number he chose to honor two players he admired growing up: Jose Reyes and Joe Mauer. The move reflects his respect for baseball legends who have left a lasting impact on the sport.
It's amazing, just for him to be able to think to do something like that. I couldn't be more grateful, Baty said about Soto’s gesture. I'm just really excited that he's on our team and I get to learn from him.
This number exchange and accompanying gesture recalls similar acts of generosity in baseball, such as former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly’s wife, Ashley, offering Shohei Ohtani her husband's No. 17 if he signed with the Dodgers. Ohtani, upon joining the team, delivered a new Porsche to the Kellys in return.
