Many reporters still believe that All-Star New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto will either sign a new contract with the Yankees or join the New York Mets as a free agent shortly after the World Series.
ESPN’s MLB insider Kiley McDaniel suggests that the Yankees will need to win the ongoing postseason to secure Soto. “If the Yankees win, he stays. If they lose, he goes to the Mets,” McDaniel said on the “Baseball Tonight” podcast, as noted by Tim Crowley of NESN.
After the Yankees advanced to the AL Championship Series with a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals, Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reported that they are “heavy favorites” to reach the World Series. On the other hand, ESPN mentioned that the Mets are “mid-sized underdogs” heading into the NL Championship Series, where they will face either the San Diego Padres or the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Earlier reports over the summer claimed that Yankees captain Aaron Judge wouldn’t mind being the second-highest-paid player behind Soto. Jon Heyman of the New York Post, citing an insider, dismissed the rumor that the Yankees would limit their offer to $40 million annually to avoid offending Judge.
In late September, ESPN’s Buster Olney speculated that the Yankees could be outbid for Soto, with Crowley suggesting the Mets might win the Soto sweepstakes after a surprise playoff run. Meanwhile, a former teammate of Soto’s hinted that the Toronto Blue Jays could make a massive offer in free agency, with Mets owner Steve Cohen possibly willing to offer a deal up to $600 million.
Heyman also mentioned that the Blue Jays are serious contenders for Soto, while adding that “the Dodgers can never be ruled out.”
There’s no indication that Soto will take a discount to stay with the Yankees, but if they win the World Series, he might leave some money on the table to build a legacy in New York. It remains to be seen how much Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner will spend to keep Soto from joining the Mets.