Mendoza sprinted from the dugout to get in between the two, pushed Soto toward the dugout and then resumed an argument that ended with Mendoza gone and bench coach John Gibbons taking over. Peter Alonso and first base coach Antoan Richardson took over holding back Soto from there.

“It’s a lot of money on the table if I make it,” New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto told reporters this month, one of several comments the slugger has made since he left the New York Yankees to sign a megadeal with the New York Mets that rankled those who believe highly paid players should not show how much they care about being highly paid.