Juan Soto viciously booed in Yankee Stadium return

Juan Soto got a true Bronx cheer.

Yankees fans booed their former star mightily in his first at-bat at Yankee Stadium since he signed with the Mets this offseason.

Soto, batting second, walked on five pitches before stealing second with Pete Alonso at the plate.

So went Soto’s much-anticipated return to his former home — where outside the gates of Yankee Stadium they were selling shirts cursing his name — a venue in which Soto himself knew he would not be welcome.

Soto is a rarity in just about all ways, including the manner of his exit. When the Yankees want a player — particularly a superstar — they nearly always get him.

Yet 16 years and $760 million was not a strong enough offer for Soto, who traded boroughs for 15 years, $765 million and every perk Steve Cohen could throw in.

So even after a magical, if unfulfilled, 2024 season, Yankees fans were angry.

Soto enjoyed the best season of his career last year, was the club’s best hitter in October and crushed the home run in Cleveland that sent the Yankees to the World Series.

The good memories, though, had evaporated by the time Soto chose the Mets, a team he said had a brighter future than the Yankees.

Soto told The Post’s Jon Heyman he expected it to be “50,000 against one” for the game in The Bronx.

“They’re going to try to get on me, you know. It’s part of it,” Soto said.