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During the Little League World Series, Canadian player Misha Lee stole the spotlight - not just for his performance in Canada's 12-0 win over Australia, but for his unfiltered opinion on New York Mets slugger Juan Soto.
When asked if Soto was his favorite player, Lee smirked and delivered a dagger of a response:
"Eh, he's kind of overrated."
Instead, the youngster said he'd rather get an autograph from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who just signed a $105 million deal and is making a strong push for MVP honors - even ahead of Aaron Judge.
Soto has not convinced analysts either
For Soto, who inked a record-shattering $765 million contract with the Mets, the comment was a bitter pill. The superstar outfielder has been productive with 30 home runs so far this season, but critics argue he hasn't delivered enough to match his massive deal - especially with the Mets sliding hard in the playoff race after the All-Star break.
Former Mets star Jose Reyes recently came to Soto's defense, telling TMZ Sports that fans expect too much.
"People expect him to hit a home run every at-bat... but if you look at where he ranks among top players, he's right there," Reyes said, predicting Soto will still finish with 35+ homers.
Soto endured the burn like a champ
Still, the timing of Lee's jab stung, coming as New York struggles with runners in scoring position and faltering pitching.
Soto, for his part, didn't let it show. The Mets spent last Sunday visiting LLWS players, reminding everyone - kids included - of baseball's joy beyond the box score. But if there's one thing clear after this week: even a $765 million man isn't safe from the honesty of a 12-year-old.