Jul 19, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Being a famous, world-class athlete playing in New York City will automatically make someone an easy target when it comes to criticism from fans and the media. New York Mets slugger Juan Soto is no exception to this, and he has gotten more than his fair share of negative analysis during his first season in Queens.
Most of the criticism Soto has received to this point centers around his 2025 numbers not coming close to the production he had with the cross-town rival Yankees in 2024, his ongoing struggles to hit with runners on base, his mediocre defense in right field, his bad body language, and his occasional lack of hustle.
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However, WFAN radio host Brandon Tierney called Soto out for a strange and rather ridiculous reason on Friday.
During a Friday edition of the WFAN Radio Show, Tierney cast doubt upon whether the 26-year-old Soto is truly as old as he claims.
"Honestly, does [Soto] look 26? Does he? Look, I'm being honest... But does he look 26? When you're 26, you still have a youthful glow. Does he look 26?" Tierney said, per an X post from Awful Announcing.
When another guest on the podcast refuted this by saying that Soto has been in the major leagues for seven years and that he used to look like more of a baby face, Tierney responded by saying, "I got it, and I can't prove it. But listen, in my own mind, while I don't know for sure, I think that there's a chance, a good chance, he's not 26. I'll say it. Whatever."
A fan later called into the show and called Tierney out for his comments on Soto's age, which prompted the radio host to double down on his comments.
"I'm not a plastic surgeon. Or, I don't know, I'm not God. Does he look 26?" Tierney said of Soto.
When asked how old he thinks Soto is, Tierney said, "I don't know! I don't even want to give you a number because it's just giving it more and more credence. I don't know. By the way, I don't think he's in his 30s, I'm not saying that.
"Maybe, uh, close [to 30]," Tierney felt compelled to add.
Questioning whether Soto is 26 years old is a weird departure from criticizing his performance on the field, which is typically what's considered fair game from sports media. It's no surprise that Tierney is getting a lot of backlash about embarking on this absurd tirade.