Former MLB player rips ESPN personalities, network for Juan Soto coverage

News broke late Sunday night that Juan Soto, the to free agent in this year’s class, had signed a record-setting deal with the New York Mets. Naturally, the signing was a topic of conversation on Monday morning’s sports talk shows, including ESPN’s.

Former MLB player Doug Mientkiewicz took notice of what was said and who was saying it. Mientkiewicz pointed out ESPN had Rex Ryan and Shannon Sharpe — who both rose to prominence due to their exploits in football — talking about the signing.

And to say the least, he was not impressed.

“Sad that ESPN has Shannon Sharpe and Rex Ryan talking about the Juan Soto signing,” Mientkiewicz posted on X (formerly Twitter). “These two have ZERO clue about the sport. The fall of ESPN is mind-blowing.”

It’s no secret that ESPN has made baseball less of a priority in recent years. While the network still broadcasts baseball games, its coverage of the sport in regards to studio shows has dropped significantly. Normally, that’s not a big issue, particularly in December when we’re months removed from the finish of the last season and months away from the start of the next one. But there are exceptions — times when baseball will still have one of the day’s biggest stories. Having people who are not necessarily known for their expertise in the sport commenting on it can easily rub fans — and former players — the wrong way.

[Doug Mientkiewicz on X]