Juan Soto, a 25-year-old phenom, has quickly established himself as one of the premier players in MLB since making his debut with the Washington Nationals in 2018. Soto has already earned multiple All-Star selections and garnered widespread acclaim for his contributions on the field.
While the generational talent remains with the New York Yankees for the coming season, the future beyond that is not guaranteed. Soto, who will enter his walk year this season, is expected to hit free agency in 2025. While his market value is estimated at $500 million, the Yankees are not counting themselves out. But at the same time, the city rivals could play massive spoilsport.
New York Mets Likely To Pursue Juan Soto Next Off-Season
Juan Soto will be a Yankee for the 2024 MLB season after the New York Yankees front office pulled off a historic trade heist this off-season. However, the only drawback of the trade was the slugger’s contract length. Soto has only a year left on his existing contract with the Padres, which is set to expire by the end of the year. Thus, given a miraculous turnaround, the generational talent will enter free agency to fetch an expensive contract. Notably, Soto’s market value is estimated at $500 million. Regardless, before Soto could test free agency waters, the Bronx Bombers aim to lure him into signing an extension contract with them. Of course, the task is steep. But the Yankees are not ruling out anything at the moment.
That being said, the New York Yankees will meet strong competition in city rivals New York Mets. Buster Olney of ESPN reported that with many big contracts expiring by the end of the year, the Mets will have enough space to accommodate Juan Soto. Thus, Steve Cohen is expected to make a strong push for Soto this coming off-season. “They fully intend to take a run at Juan Soto next winter,” said Buster Olney. However, poaching Soto from the Yankees will not be an easy task for the Mets. The Bronx Bombers are no stranger to spending big in the off-season. Moreover, besides the Yankees, the Mets will also have to beat another interested team to lure Soto. In addition to the financial aspect, the Yankees can also leverage their winning tradition and championship pedigree as they seek to convince Soto to remain with the team.
Soto Focused On Playing Baseball Amid Future Uncertainty
Meanwhile, Juan Soto is least interested in his future uncertainty. While addressing a press conference, the generational slugger confirmed his focus being on playing baseball this year. As far as free agency is concerned, his agent, Scott Boras, will handle those duties. Soto added how he trusts Boras with his life as their association dates back to his teenage days.
Thus, whatever Scott Boras decided, Juan Soto will blindly follow his lead. He explains that he trusts Boras to determine what’s best for him. Therefore, if the Yankees are interested in offering an extension contract, they must contact his agent. Overall, as new season inches closer, all eyes will be on Soto as to how he thrives in pinstripes.
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