Soto trades car for preferred shirt number with Mets

The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Nov 11, 2026, 8:00 AM

Last updated Nov 11, 2026

Soto trades car for preferred shirt number with Mets
Summary

Juan Soto made headlines by gifting Brett Baty a $92,000 car to secure the number 22 jersey with the New York Mets. This exchange highlights the increasing importance of shirt numbers in baseball. The transaction continues a trend where players prioritize personal significance in jersey numbers, contrasting with soccer's longstanding shirt number traditions. Insights into jersey number values reveal customization costs and the evolving culture around shirt numbers across sports.

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By the Numbers
  • •Juan Soto gave Brett Baty a car for number 22 with the Mets.
  • •Customization costs £8 for Arsenal and £16 for Manchester City shirts.
  • •Shirt numbers have gained personal significance in baseball culture.
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  • 8:00 AMThe Guardian Sport — Is No 10 still the best, or No 41? The myths and maths of Premier League shirt numbers
What they're saying
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While No 9s still score the most goals and No 1s try to stop them, trends have changed since the introduction of squad numbers in the early 1990s How much is a shirt number worth? It costs £8 if you want two digits added to the back of Arsenal’s 2026-27 home shirt, whereas Manchester City add on £16 for customisation, whether you want a name as well as a number or not. That is cheap compared to what baseball players decide among themselves. Juan Soto bought Brett Baty a $92,000 (£69,000) car in exchange for getting his preferred number (22) when he joined the New York Mets last year. But that’s baseball, where they allow players to wear ‘0’. Anything goes. Continue reading...

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