As the New York Yankees officially head into the MLB offseason, their top priority appears to be re-signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto, whose powerful bat helped propel the team to the World Series.
Of course, the World Series ended in devastating fashion for the Bombers. But that was certainly not Soto’s fault. He carried his weight throughout October and proved once again to be a big-time pressure player.
In many ways, Soto is a perfect Yankee. Fans are hoping that owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman realize this and do whatever it takes to keep him in pinstripes.
However, as much as Soto has loved his time in New York, he’s made it clear that he won’t be dishing out any hometown discounts.
He’s turned down hundreds of millions of dollars in past contract offers in order to make it to this day.
Considering his age (26) and accomplishments, Soto is entering free agency at the perfect time and is in-line for what’s expected to be a historic contract.
The competition for Soto will surely be fierce.
The crosstown rival New York Mets, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, and perhaps the San Francisco Giants are expected to be heavily interested. (And that’s just to name a few.)
Of course, Soto’s reported asking price of $700+ million will be an obstacle for most teams. However, the four-time All-Star will be collecting a pretty penny one way or another, that’s for sure.
The fact of the matter is Yankees fans will be absolutely destroyed if Steinbrenner/Cashman let Soto get off the hook. (Especially if he winds up in Queens with the Mets.)
Having said that, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that a backup plan may already be in place if the Bombers do in fact lose Soto in free agency.
The respected MLB insider revealed that the backup plan consists of pursuing Mets slugger Pete Alonso as well as a pitching ace or two.
Speaking of aces, the Yankees resolved their contract situation with Gerrit Cole. He will be staying in pinstripes on his original four-year, $144 million deal.
Many fans are upset with Cole for not covering first base in Game 5. (I still place the majority of the blame on Anthony Rizzo.)
However, no matter how upset you may be with Cole, the fact of the matter is it would have been a major blow if the Yankees somehow lost him after his original opt-out decision last week.
Getting back to Soto, his impact in the Bronx has been undeniable. Since joining the Yankees, the outfielder has dispelled any doubts about his ability to handle the bright lights of New York.
He turned in an exceptional 2024 season, batting .288 with a .419 on-base percentage, a .569 slugging percentage, and a .989 OPS over 157 games.
Soto also smashed 41 home runs, drove in 109 RBIs, and added 31 doubles, solidifying his place as one of the best hitters in all of baseball.
While the competition for Soto will be intense, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees letting him get away.
Sure, Hal holds his wallet a little tighter than his old man did, but he knows the major blowback he would face if he “cheaps out” in the Soto sweepstakes.
Having said that, what are your thoughts on the Yankees alleged backup plan?
At the end of the day, where do you think Soto will end up and what will his contract end up looking like???