The New York Yankees breathed a sigh of relief when they acquired 25-year-old generational slugger Juan Soto is a blockbuster trade this off-season. Their offense badly needed upgrade and Soto was nothing short of a dream acquisition. However, his short leash planted a seed of doubts amongst critics.
For those unversed, Juan Soto is an impending free agent and agreed to a one-year $31 million arbitration contract with New York Yankees this year. While he is expected to enter free agency by the end of the year, Yanks general manager Brian Cashman hasn’t given up all hopes of an extended stint just yet.
Brian Cashman Would Love To Have Juan Soto Long-Term!
Juan Soto is one big trophy every team wants to have. With him entering the free agency in 2025, many rivals are expected to rally up for him with big and astounding offers. However, so far, the New York Yankees and New York Mets have emerged as front-runners. Meanwhile, as far as Bronx Bombers are concerned, they will have a tough time convincing Soto to extend his one-year stint into a whopping $500 million deal. On top of that, the Yank’s front office will have to deal with his agent, Scott Boras, which is a mega task in itself. Overall, the Bombers have a 50-50 chance to convince Soto to extend his stay beyond the 2024 season. However, general manager Brian Cashman is preparing for all outcomes.
While talking to MLB Network Radio, Brian Cashman confirmed that he would love to have Juan Soto stay with the New York Yankees long-term. However, with the future up in the air, he intends to enjoy seeing Soto in pinstripes till it lasts. He further endorsed Soto as a team player who’s made good relationships with teammates in no time. “He is willing to let everyone influence his game. He has a great personality,” Cashman said. The GM further added that Soto’s commitment to the team has been solid. Given that the stint is perhaps short-term, the generational star has left no stone unturned to gel in with the squad. Overall, Cashman is also uncertain about what the future holds for the team and Juan Soto. But staying in the present and savoring the good moments is important. And that is what Cashman plans to do this year.
Juan Soto Likely To Exceed Shohei Ohtani’s Contract Record!
In a major prediction, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic said on the Foul Territory podcast that he expects Juan Soto to surpass all contract records in impending free agency, including Shohei Ohtani’s most expensive $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers. Notably, Ohtani’s yearly AVV is only $2 million since he deferred 97% of his salary to the end of the deal.
And Juan Soto is expected to sign a deal with no deferrals next year. Moreover, with his projected market value being $500 million, Soto can surpass Shohei Ohtani to become the player with the most expensive AAV. Needless to say, Soto’s impending free agency will be closely watched by fans as it promises to be an enthralling event.
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