Arguably the biggest free agent in MLB history and represented by super agent Scott Boras, the New York Yankees shouldn’t expect Juan Soto to make a decision in the near future. In fact, Boras has had many clients who have waited until late in the free agency period to sign.
If that’s the case with Soto, it could become an issue for the Yankees. They have other areas they need to spend money on, but with Soto’s contract expected to be as high as it is, there’s a chance they won’t make a move until they know his decision.
Soto’s contract is only going up in predictions, as most have him around $500 to $600 million. In the latest from Mike Axisa from CBS Sports, Soto landed a 15-year, $720 million deal.
“We are crossing the streams here. Ohtani’s $700 million guarantee is before deferrals and his $46.1 million average annual value is present day after deferrals,” Axisa wrote on November 8. “I blame the Dodgers. Point is, we’re boldly predicting Soto will top $700 million in total dollars and also come in over $46.1 million per year, once adjusted for deferrals. He’ll get the richest contract ever, basically.
“My hunch is Soto returns to the Yankees, though I’m about 55/45 on that rather than the 95/5 it would be if George Steinbrenner was running the team and not his son Hal. Let’s call the contract 15 years and $720 million, or $48 million per year. Crazy? Eh, not really. Wait until you get a load of what the Steinbrenner family is worth. Soto will make history times two this offseason.”
Yankees Lineup ‘Needs Soto’
The New York Yankees saw the benefits of having Soto on the roster last season, competing in the World Series in his first season with the club.
If they plan to play in a World Series again over the next few years, having Soto would help with that. Their lineup was as good as it was at times, largely due to Soto, so losing him would be the worst outcome and cause worries about how they’ll look moving forward.
It’s tough to imagine a scenario where the Yankees would compete at the highest level again without him in the lineup, and Jake Mintz of Yahoo Sports believes so, too, writing about how big he was in the postseason.
“If you watched the playoffs, you get how much this roster needs Soto. The Yankees have made no secrets about how much they’d love to retain the dynamic left-hander, whose bat is a perfect match for Yankee Stadium’s short porch.
“GM Brian Cashman and Co. have a good bit of dough coming off the books this winter — a little under $60 million before any potential non-tenders, according to Roster Resource,” Mintz wrote on November 9. “That gives them the financial might to keep Soto and Judge hitting back-to-back for the foreseeable future.”
Could the Yankees Replace Soto?
Not only would losing Soto be an issue for the New York Yankees, but due to many factors, most notably his age and production, it’d be nearly impossible to replace him.
The front office and ownership will have to determine if that’s worth $720 million, as the latest prediction suggests, but they also have to understand why he’s looking at this type of money.
They could add multiple players for that price, but none would be as impactful as Soto.
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