The little things might have added up for Juan Soto when he chose to leave the New York Yankees and sign with the New York Mets this offseason.

Soto reportedly rebuffed a $760 million offer from the Bronx Bombers and opted for the Mets instead. ESPN's Buster Olney and Jeff Passan detailed what led up to the decision, and among the factors might have been his rapport with Yankees officials.

Olney and Passan wrote how chairman Hal Steinbrenner tends to give star players "a respectful space," in contrast to his late father George. That might have backfired a bit with Soto.

"Soto indicated to an associate that he was surprised he didn't know Hal better, and according to two sources in the meetings, Steinbrenner explained he didn't want to overwhelm the player in his first year in New York," the report said.

There were also a couple of minor situations behind the scenes involving people from Soto's camp.

According to Olney and Passan, Soto's father had once tried to enter the clubhouse before a game to deliver some food to his son.

"But he was turned away, in a routine enforcement of rules that were put in place by MLB in the aftermath of the steroid era; in some cases, personal trainers and some family members were found to have served as PED mules," they reported.

In another instance, a driver for Soto who intended to take him home was turned away when he tried to access a parking lot before a Yankees game ended.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman also previously reported one bone of contention for Soto was having a suite set aside for his family and paid for by the team. The Yankees pushed back after having not granted that request to other stars such as Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge.

Across any sport, being a generational talent comes with special privileges. Olney and Passan reported the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres displayed "more deference" toward Soto and his family when he played for them.

The Yankees, however, still pride themselves on maintaining some of their strict standards. Banning long hair and beards is the most obvious example.

For a long time, the franchise could lean on its history, on-field success, and home market to attract stars despite rules that might be considered arcane or unnecessary. If you wanted to play on a World Series contender, get paid a lot of money, and call New York home, then you signed with the Yankees.

Thanks to the free-spending ways of team owner Steve Cohen, the Mets have become a viable alternative for elite talent who yearn to play in the Big Apple.

It will be fascinating to see whether the Yankees adapt now that the advantage they once owned is gone.