The New York Yankees not only want to retain Juan Soto, but they also need him. We all saw how he increased the lineup’s ceiling all by himself, walk by walk, home run by home run. He is productive, has flair, and is extremely clutch, as his series-sealing extra-inning homer in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series (and many other plays) proved.
It’s precisely because of that, however, that his expected contract is a mammoth proposition even for the wealthiest of teams. The Yankees need him, yes, but they will have to spend a ridiculous amount of money to land him.
He is well worth the money, though. He has 201 career home runs and a .953 OPS at just 26 years old, with multiple All-Star berths, Silver Slugger awards, and a World Series ring. He offers a unique combination of track record, age and production.
How much money is he worth, exactly? Well, Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, have implied that they want a contract similar to Shohei Ohtani in terms of full guarantee, which is $700 million. Will he get it from the Yankees or anyone else?
The Yankees will probably need to spend more than $600 million to retain Soto
According to a prediction made by MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees will have to pony up significantly more than $600 million to land him. What’s the exact number? High. Very high.
“Juan Soto free-agency contract prediction, via @JonHeyman: 14 years, $630M,” MLB Deadline News posted on X.
Considering the widespread interest in Soto’s services around the league, it’s not crazy to think that he can get close to that number.
That would account for $45 million per season and give him the length he is looking for. There is also a chance of some deferrals or even one (or more) opt-out clauses to make sure to keep up with inflation. In any case, and any way you slice it, the Yankees will have to spend an exorbitant amount of money on Soto, and if it happens, it will be worth it.