All-Star outfielder Juan Soto gave his effort, sweat, and dedication to the New York Yankees for almost eight months. After an amazing performance with the pinstripes, he has earned the right to decide his next destination. The Yanks, of course, will be players.
Teams around the MLB will be chasing Juan Soto
However, there are 29 other teams in the league and Soto made it clear after Wednesday’s season-ending loss that he intends to listen to everyone who wants to discuss a long-term deal.
Sure, all 30 teams want Soto. Most of them need him, too. Only a handful of contenders can put together an enticing package, but three of them have real chances of getting something done: the Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Mets.
The reigning World Series champs have the means to get him, but with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and others signed to mammoth long-term deals, they might draw the line somewhere.
The Yankees and Mets will battle it out for Soto
This could leave the two New York teams as the favorites to sign the superstar talent. Both the Yankees and the Mets will be ready for one of the most exciting off-the-field battles in recent history: the Juan Soto sweepstakes.
The Yankees don’t really have too much financial flexibility unless they want to just forget about the competitive balance tax but have the urge to bring back their star if they don’t want fans to lose it. The Mets, on the other hand, already have plenty of money and, additionally, could have as much as $180 million coming off the payroll.
The Mets also have the motivation to add another star to Francisco Lindor, a proven postseason performer with an impressive track record. They are prepared to outbid anyone and that includes the Yankees.
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Soto will command at least $500 million, but with the Mets involved, it could be closer to $600 million. If signing Soto takes outbidding the next best offer by $50 million, the Mets could very well do it.
That’s why the Yankees need to be ready to make sacrifices. Their CBT situation could be messy for a little while, but if it means they re-signed Soto, it will be worth it. He is a generational talent and the Yanks won’t reach the World Series without him.
