The New York Mets and New York Yankees each claimed a win in the initial two games of their Subway Series, with the decisive game scheduled for Sunday. The contest remained tight, locked at 2-2 until the eighth inning when a throwing miscue by Pete Alonso allowed the Yankees to seize a one-run advantage.

They capitalized further by adding five more runs, ultimately triumphing 8-2. In the top half of the eighth inning, Mets star and ex-Yankees outfielder Juan Soto started with a groundout. The 92.7 MPH roller was adeptly handled on a sliding backhand by second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who managed to throw from his knees to secure the out. Soto, caught in indecision with a half-hearted swing, did not sprint to first base.

This choice provoked strong criticism from fans who argued that Soto might have secured an infield hit had he dashed out of the box with full effort. “Self-absorbed behavior,” one fan remarked. “In the past, he’d be benched for that tomorrow,” another commented. “Pitiful,” someone else chimed in. “It’s one thing to be in a slump, but loafing down the line is unacceptable.

You earn far too much to be engaging in this [expletive].” “He lacks heart,” another added. The fan backlash persisted as the Mets succumbed in the game, with Soto ending 0-for-4. “At least pretend you want to play baseball; if Soto hustles out of the box, there’s a play at first!” one fan exclaimed.

“Things like that really frustrate me,” another fan expressed. “765 million for a player who doesn’t want to be here,” another noted. “No excuses, this was utterly embarrassing,” someone else said. “I’m done with this player,” one fan declared. “He’s a complete distraction. Bench him until he proves he’s committed to the team.”