Juan Soto wants to 'grow a dynasty' with the Mets

The day Mets fans have been waiting for finally has arrived: Juan Soto donned the orange and blue today for the first time as a member of the Mets at his introductory press conference.

The Mets officially announced Soto's 15-year, $765 million contract on Wednesday after the 26-year-old slugger passed his physical.

Follow along below for highlights from Soto's first news conference with the Mets.

At Juan Soto’s press conference, there are 22 seats reserved “for Soto family.” pic.twitter.com/twCTOhCmbh

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) December 12, 2024

40 min before Soto and this place is already buzzing pic.twitter.com/TBJnVepbIX

— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) December 12, 2024

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns: "We're thrilled to bring Juan into our team, and we're excited to continue to collectively build an organization that allows us to compete at the pinnacle of our sport on an annual basis."

Mets owner Steve Cohen: "I'm so happy we got there, Juan and Scott [Boras, Soto's agent]."

Soto: "I'm really excited to be here and be a part of this family."

Soto on why he signed with the Mets: "Trying to grow a dynasty is one of the most important things. The vibes and everything, and the feel and the future that this team has, had a lot to do with my decision."

Cohen: "My goal was to change how the Mets were viewed . . . that the Mets are going to be one of the premier teams in baseball." 

Soto on the Mets' lineup: "We have one of the best leadoff hitters in the game."

Cohen on the free-agency process: "It was hard to know where you stood, and it was a moving target. Things were changing by the day. So there were moments where you question whether you were going to be successful at this. In the end I got the call that I wanted."

Stearns said his first conversations with Cohen during Stearns' hiring process in 2023 included talking about going hard after Soto this offseason. He said that until late in the proceedings, he put the Mets' chance at Soto at below 50%.

Stearns, asked if Soto's contract affects their ability to bring back Pete Alonso, says the Mets "continue to have resources" but still must figure out how to allocate them.

Stearns said that Soto is a league-average rightfielder. Soto agreed and said he's committed to continuing to improve his defense.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza on the pressure to win with Soto: "You have to embrace those expectations, this is New York. Now we're looking at one of the better organizations in baseball and that's what we want, a first class organization."

Cohen on Soto's contract: "If you want something amazing, it's going to be uncomfortable. It's not going to be comfortable."

Soto says he has not spoken with any of his now-former Yankees teammates since the end of the World Series, but later says of Aaron Judge: "We're still friends, we're still cool. It's just business. The relationship that we created last year will stay forever."

Soto says he enjoyed his time with the Yankees. "I feel they did everything in their power to bring me back." He says it came down to the wire but he chose the place he felt had the best shot at long-term success.