No. 22 For A New Suv As Juan Soto Gives Mets 3b Brett Baty A Tahoe For Switching Numbers

Juan Soto got his desired No. 22 jersey with the New York Mets after his record 765 million contract this offseason. Brett Baty, who wore that number the past three seasons, got a brand new SUV in spring training.

The Mets posted video Thursday showing Soto standing next to a black Chevrolet Tahoe before giving the keys to Baty, the 25-year-old third baseman who wore No. 22 for New York in 169 games. Baty switched to No. 7 after the team signed Soto.

"No, you didn't," Baty said with a big smile after he walked outside at the team's spring training complex to see Soto near the vehicle that had "Thanks for 22" scrawled on the back window.

Baty, the 12th overall pick by the Mets in the 2019 draft, had still been driving the same 2016 Toyota 4Runner he did in high school.

"I really appreciate the number," Soto told him. "It's the first one I ever wore."