The New York Yankees are coming off a disappointing World Series run that embarrassed them at a national level against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the offseason underway, everyone asks where Juan Soto will spend the rest of his MLB career.
The first and most obvious decision that the Yankees must make in this free agency is to re-sign Juan Soto to a lifetime contract. Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman should prepare for a significant investment in Soto because it will come with a hefty price tag. It’s reported that Soto’s asking price is a whopping $700 million, similar to that of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.
While Ohtani’s contract is being deferred and is currently being paid about $2 million a year, Soto is seeking to be paid out in full with his contract. Whether or not he gets paid that price remains to be seen, but the Yankees should be prepared to spend.
It remains to be seen, but Soto will likely decline the extended qualifying offer of $21.05 million. This qualifying offer is a sign that the Yankees are showing their intent to keep Soto and secure draft picks.
With an entire season under his belt, including a postseason that landed him in the World Series, the Yankees have the upper hand in Soto’s free agency decision. His talent alone brought fans into Yankee Stadium to see a superstar play alongside Aaron Judge.
Soto’s bat played a significant role in the 2024 Yankees’ regular season and postseason. In one season, Soto nearly single-handedly brought this team from one of the worst in franchise history to becoming a World Series contender.
Soto had a career season with the Yankees, posting a .288/.419/.569 slash line with 41 home runs, compiling 328 total bases, 166 hits, and 109 RBIs. Soto’s skillset at the plate is that of a generational talent, and it would be impossible to replace a ballplayer like Juan Soto if he signed somewhere else. There may not be another player outside of Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge that can single-handedly be the biggest difference maker on a team.
Just a year ago, the Bronx Bombers were coming off one of their worst seasons in franchise history, and a season later, the Yankees were only three wins away from winning their 28th championship. The fans have Juan Soto to thank for this absurd turnaround that has given them hope that the Yankees have returned to being the “Evil Empire.” The Yankees organization and its fans would be devastated to lose him, and they just might if they don’t play their cards right this offseason, as the New York Mets will come knocking at Soto’s door.
The New York Mets owner, Steve Cohen, is unafraid to spend money and willing to pay as much as possible to get Soto. The Mets had the highest payroll of 2024, with $317 million; the Yankees were behind them with $309 million. The Mets also benefit from having a Cinderella Postseason and making it to the NLCS.
They could make the case for being one player away from making it to the World Series, with Soto being the missing piece they need to make it to the dance. Both New York teams have convincing cases to bring in Juan Soto for the rest of his career, but the only real question is who would win out the Soto bidding war this offseason.
Read More MLB News From Stadium Rant Here: MLB News
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
