A Juan Soto decision is expected to come in the next few days leading up to Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings, which begin on Sunday.
While the superstar right fielder is eliminating teams from contention for his signature, speculation continues to pit four finalists against each other: The New York Yankees, Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Yankees are believed to be the most frugal of the four teams in the Soto sweepstakes. While owner Hal Steinbrenner said that he would make a push to retain the 26-year-old AL MVP finalist, he simply does not have the same financial firepower as the Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays.
The Mets can outbid everyone if they see fit. Owner Steve Cohen is worth $16 billion, his team had a ton of money come off its books this winter, and with Soto in their ranks, they can offer annual World Series contention.
The Red Sox are projected to be one of the biggest buyers this offseason after being largely dormant for the last five years. They want Soto but will also be looking for other big-name free agents like Corbin Burnes and Max Fried.
The Blue Jays have tried to hunt down huge names in the open market, like Shohei Ohtani last season, but Canadian taxes could throw a wrench into their plans. Plus, they have to put some money aside if they want to secure Vladimir Guerrero and Bo Bichette for the long term.
Just seven months after Steinbrenner said that the Yankees’ current business model was not financially sustainable, he is trying to retain Soto on a $600 million-plus deal while also garnering the trio of $300 million-plus contracts owed to Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Judge.
The change of heart comes from Soto’s pressure on the Yankees. In his debut season in the Bronx, he hit 41 home runs and was an integral part of a team that won the American League pennant for the first time in 15 years. While Soto said he is open to all suitors, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that a soft spot for the Yankees might exist.
“I think the Yankees believe they will have a final crack to match or beat whatever the best offer they have is,” Feinsand said. “So why throw out your final number now? Soto and [agent] Scott Boras aren’t signing without taking that final deal back to the Yankees.”
Of course, the Yankees actually being able to match an astronomical offer from one of the other three suitors is an entirely different story. But it seems as though the Bronx Bombers will be in this thing until the very end.
