Juan Soto is one of the best players in baseball, and the Yankees have reaped the benefits of having him paired with Aaron Judge in the middle of their lineup. With the Yankees sitting 18 games above .500 and atop the American League East, the only issue that lingers right now pertains to how long they’ll have the left-handed superstar for. While there’s no expectation that the Yankees will reach an agreement with Juan Soto on an extension mid-season, there is a growing belief that their relationship is off to an excellent start.
On Bleacher Report, insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post mentioned that he believes the Yankees have a “very good chance” of keeping Juan Soto, citing how much he has enjoyed his time here and the organization recognizing how popular he is to the fans.
Yankees Could Have a Leg Up in Free Agency in Juan Soto Sweepstakes
We’re witnessing arguably the best season of Juan Soto’s career right now, as the 25-year-old superstar has been electric in the batter’s box all season. Through the Yankees’ first 56 games of the season, Soto has not only played every game, but he also has launched 15 home runs with a 180 wRC+. He’s looking like a completely different hitter at the plate despite the greatness that baseball fans have been used to with the phenom, increasing his barrel rate by 6.1% while decreasing his strikeout rate by 2.5%.
The defensive improvements have been impressive as well, with +2 Defensive Runs Saved and +1 Outs Above Average in right field. Soto has been everything the Yankees could have asked for and more, as he and Aaron Judge are battling it out with various other stars in the American League for the MVP award. Juan Soto brings both power and discipline to the plate, having the ability to eviscerate the ball into right field while at the same time taking a close ball four in a huge situation.
Jon Heyman’s words should not be exaggerated however; the Yankees will have to bid for Juan Soto’s services in free agency, where a team like the New York Mets is expected to be very aggressive in acquiring his services. It’s hard to imagine that Soto won’t get a number above $500 million at the pace he’s playing, but the Bronx might be the perfect spot for him.