Even Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are tired of the Aaron Judge and Juan Soto storyline.
As if it wasn't abundantly clear that both New York Yankees and New York Mets would be going their separate ways on this issue as soon as "Rivalry Weekend" was over, Judge and Soto buried the hatched Sunday night and just looked like ... two guys who kind of know each other and can't entirely remember when and where they met.
Soto got buzzed by the Bleacher Creatures on Friday night, as they turned their backs on him en masse as he took the field in right. He tipped his helmet to a booing crowd, a lighthearted twist on a level of hatred that already felt forced. He did defect, but ... he did great things in his one year in the Bronx, which was only one year. He showed love to Judge every step of the way. His parents counseled him to take the Mets and the higher dollar total. It was what it was, and it is what it is.
And now, Judge and Soto are two acquaintances shooting the breeze and nodding vigorously in right, fumbling with their chains during a 360 panoramic moment that made every fan sitting at home go ... "Oh, okay, then."
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto's pregame reunion before Yankees-Mets lacked fervor
It's definitely odd to see the two men who looked like the might form the greatest core of a Yankees lineup we'd seen in decades for the next ~8 years now turn into two fraternity brothers running into each other in the security line at LaGuardia. But the reality is ... this is what Soto chose.
Who knows how long the booing will last? Regardless, it'll never be welcoming in the Bronx again. Judge will never hate him. They'll be friendly. But they won't be bashing forearms, even in the All-Star Game. Everything'll be a little uncomfortable and a little forced, just like Sunday's staged conversation was.
And, on top of everything, now he'll get frozen by Max Fried from time to time.
You thought he and Judge looked frigid? That was pure icicle.
