The New York Yankees may not need to water their pillows with tears after losing superstar Juan Soto to the New York Mets on Sunday night. Despite the stinging blow of the news that Soto is departing left behind, the heart-breaking moment could wind up being a blessing in disguise for the Yankees.
The Yankees may have avoided cap hell by losing Juan Soto
ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently appeared on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight and gave his take on the gargantuan 15-year, $765 million deal Soto signed with the Mets. Passan stated that age matters greatly when assessing the five-time Silver Slugger Award winner’s long-term value. He also declared that the Yankees may benefit from losing out on their former MVP candidate who turned down their 16-year, $760 million offer, especially once he starts aging.
Soto is currently 26 years old. He’s been in the MLB since 2018 and has an illustrious resume to show for. That being said, he’ll be 41 years old when his deal expires. The four-time All-Star may fall out of his prime well before then.
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Yankees can pick up pieces despite the major void Soto leaves
Further, the Yankees may not benefit from having an annual average of $51 million on their books for the next decade and a half. Outside of Los Angeles Dodgers three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani’s massive 10-year, $700 million deal signed ahead of last season, Soto’s deal more than doubles up the next highest one on the list in MLB history.
It would be remiss to gloss over the fact that Soto’s value came without price last season. His impact took the Yankees from falling short in the ALDS and ALCS to being three wins away from winning the World Series in 2024. No matter, he may not have that same impact for 15 years, which the Yankees may look back on in retrospect without regret. However, New York can look ahead toward adding marquee talent on the mound and at key infield spots like first base with the money they’ll now save.
