Mets superfan Donovan Mitchell wastes no time in congratulating $765M-rich Juan Soto on new deal
Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers was a huge baseball fan growing up and supported the New York Mets. Mitchell still loves the Mets and wasted no time congratulating their newest player, Juan Soto, who signed a massive 15-year, $765 million in free agency.
Soto's impendiing new deal took over the baseball world, with rumors flying around every day. He was linked with multiple teams, but the New York Yankees and the Mets were the two favorites to sign him. He played for the Yankees last season, helping them reach the World Series for the first time in 2009.
However, Soto decided to leave the Yankees but stayed in New York by choosing the Mets. His $765 million deal is the largest contract in sports history, breaking Shohei Ohtani's $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers last season.
Mitchell celebrated the huge signing by FaceTiming Soto and sharing it with his followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"LFFFGGGMMMMMM@JuanSoto25_," the Cavaliers superstar tweeted.
Donovan Mitchell was born in New York, and his love for baseball started with his father. Donovan Sr. was a former minor league player for the Mets and held several positions within the organization over the years. The young junior spent a lot of time in locker rooms and also played in high school.
Speaking to Joe Gabriele of NBA.com, Mitchell opened up about his love for America's favorite pastime. He still loves it more than basketball, calling it his "true love."
"Baseball. I mean, I love basketball to my core," Mitchell said. "I love what it's been able to provide for me, but I don't think it'll ever replace baseball because of how I grew up. It’s always going to be that."
The Mets haven't won a championship since 1986 and hasn't appeared in a World Series since 2015. They have a nice core of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso.
Donovan Mitchell picks Mets in potential World Series matchup against Guardians
Since he's playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell has been present in several Cleveland Guardians games since arriving in the city in 2022. However, Mitchell still prefers the Mets over the Guardians, especially if the two teams meet in the World Series.
"I think Cleveland would understand," Mitchell said. "They would get it. I won't be boisterous with my cheers, I won't go crazy, but to my core, there's no way on earth I could switch up. ... I don't think there's anything that could make me switch up, and I think that Cleveland fans would definitely understand."
While the Guardians and the Mets are trying to end title droughts, Donovan Mitchell is trying to bring a second championship to the Cavaliers. They are currently the best team in the NBA with a 21-4 record.