It was a soft, but meaningful salvo. When Juan Soto recently declared the New York Mets stood a better chance of claiming the World Series than the New York Yankees, Aaron Judge responded with a characteristic grace but made his viewpoint clear. “He can say what he wants, “Mr. Judge said. “I definitely disagree with him.”

The exchange between former teammates offers the first real indication the rivalry between the Yankees and the Mets is taking on a new dimension now that Mr. Soto has shifted his star power from the Bronx to Flushing. The two were teammates last year, now they’re on opposite sides of one of the biggest rivalries in baseball.

“Soto is one of a kind,” Mr. Judge said in Tampa where the Yankees held their first workouts of spring training. “He’s a special player.  I’m excited for him and his new chapter with the Mets. But we added a lot of new pieces here. You can’t replace a guy like Juan Soto, but you bring in guys that are All-Star and MVP-caliber players, we’ve done a really good job.”

Mr. Judge and Mr. Soto were the dynamic duo last year leading the Yankees to the American League Championship and their first World Series appearances since 2009. They would lose to the Dodgers in five games and a few months later Mr. Soto signed the richest contract in sports history, a 15-year $756 million deal with the crosstown rival Mets, who were the surprise of the post-season before losing to the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

The annual Subway Series between the Mets and Yankees doesn’t resume until May 16, but the battle for supremacy in New York between teams led by two of baseball’s most iconic players is already forming.

“Definitely, we’ve got a great group of guys here,” Mr. Soto said from Mets camp in Port St. Lucie. “On paper, we have a really good team. I’m happy to be surrounded by these guys and be part of this team. It’s amazing.”

Mr. Soto and Mr. Judge are still friends. After signing a one-year deal for $33 million to play in the Bronx last year, Mr. Soto proved his value not only by his own production by how he impacted Mr. Judge’s success.  Mr. Soto hit .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI.  He also drew 129 walks and scored 128 runs.

With Mr. Soto, hitting in front of him, Mr. Judge enjoyed one of his best seasons. The Yankees captain batted .322 with 58 home runs and 144 RBI. Those numbers were good enough to earn his second American League Most Valuable Player Award.

After failing to make the playoffs in 2023, the Yankees won 94 games and defeated the Kansas City Royals in the Division Series before eliminating the Cleveland Guardians in five games of the ALCS.

While Mr. Judge did not have a great postseason, batting just .184 with 3 home runs and 9 RBI., Mr. Soto was a steady force, hitting .327 with four homers and 9 RBI.  He also walked 14 times and scored 12 runs.

When the offseason arrived, Mr. Soto’s ability to get on base, his power, and his discipline at the plate made him among the most coveted free agents in baseball history. After entertaining offers from several clubs, he eventually turned down a strong deal from the Yankees to sign a richer contract with the Mets.  Now he’s settling in with his new team amid high expectations from Mets fans tired of living in the Yankees’ shadow.

“It’s unbelievable,” Mr. Soto said of his journey to the Mets. “I’m really happy to know where I’m going to be for the next 15 years. I’m more than excited to do it with this group of guys. I’m hungry for more. I want to keep winning. I think we have a good chance to go all the way.”

The Yankees, with their 27^th World Series banners, are accustomed to signing the biggest free agents every offseason. They are seldom out-bid.  But thanks to the deep pockets of Mets owner Steve Cohen, the Mets are ready to challenge the Yankees for on-field supremacy, ensuring tension between the two clubs and fan bases will intensify in what amounts to a new chapter in their storied rivalry.

“He got a pretty nice deal over there,” Mr. Judge said of Mr. Soto. “You can’t say no to that. I’m happy for him. He’s going to be in a great spot. It’s going to be great having him in town and we’re going to be battling back and forth for quite a few years.”

Which team is better? Only time will tell. Last year, the Mets were the surprise of the postseason, beating the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild-Card Series and then upsetting the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. They also took the vaunted Dodgers to six games in the NLCS.

They’ll surprise no one this year. Mr. Soto joins a lineup that includes shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Pete Alonso, who re-signed with the Mets. Third baseman Mark Vientos and catcher Francisco Alvarez are coming off break-out seasons. The starting rotation has taken a hit with right-hander Frankie Montes out for at least three months with a latissimus dorsi sprain, but left-hander Sean Manaea returns along with right-hander Kodai Senga.

Mr. Alonso, who signed a two-year deal worth $54 million, is happy to be back and playing alongside Mr. Soto. “I’m stoked,” Mr. Alonso said. “We know Juan is a phenomenal player. He definitely makes us better. I’m thankful he ended up with us.”

The Yankees used the money they would have spent on Mr. Soto to sign first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, the NL MVP in 2022, and first baseman Cody Bellinger, who won the NL MVP in 2019.  Former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole is back to anchor the starting rotation.

Mr. Judge said losing to the Dodgers in the World Series is serving as motivation as the Yankees prepare for the 2025 season. “Getting to the dance and losing out is definitely a lot worse than not even getting in,” he said. “So guys are motivated, guys are ready to go. There’s definitely some great energy so far. Guys are ready to get back to work and get back to that spot and rewrite the script.”

The Mets open their regular season on March 28 against the Astros at Houston, while the Yankees’ opener is March 27 against the Brewers at the Bronx.