Yankees fans are getting more and more nervous about Juan Soto's free agency with each passing day. GM Brian Cashman made no secret that retaining the slugger is the organization's top priority. With that being said, there are limits as to how far New York will go to keep Soto in pinstripes.
The current makeup of the roster begs out for a player like Soto to complete the middle of manager Aaron Boone's batting order. Unfortunately, some of the salaries on the roster are exactly what casts Soto's future with the franchise in doubt. Yankees fans who want to know who to blame if Soto doesn't come back should focus their attention on the following three players.
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The Yankees were pleased with Giancarlo Stanton's performance during the playoffs, but his contract will only get worse as the years roll along. He still has three years left on the massive deal he originally signed with the Marlins that will pay him at least $66 million in guaranteed money.
That isn't a team-friendly deal for a 35-year-old with a lengthy injury history. Stanton was struggling to run the basepaths down the stretch of last season. It's difficult to see him as anything other than a designated hitter moving forward. That takes away a place for Soto to take days off in the field while keeping his valuable bat in the Yankees' lineup.
The dollars left on Stanton's contract do limit the amount of payroll New York can take on this offseason. If Soto gets an astronomical offer from another team it's going to cost the Yankees a small fortune in luxury tax to match it. Stanton's bloated deal is a big reason why Cashman has to exercise financial restraint in free agency this year.
Jasson Dominguez makes this list for entirely different reasons than Stanton. He has one of the best potential bargain contracts on Cashman's balance sheet. Dominguez could contribute to Soto's departure because he gives the Yankees a defensible replacement for him in the outfield.
It's highly unlikely that many Yankees fans would accept Dominguez as a like-for-like replacement for Soto but they do share similar profiles. Dominguez is the more athletic outfielder but it's likely his future will lie in a corner spot as he ages. He is the more aggressive hitter of the two but is far less accomplished than Soto in that regard.
It would be wise for the Yankees to find a regular home for Dominguez next year no matter what happens with Soto. If the big-name free agent departs it does simplify the decision-making process for Boone in regards to New York's top prospect. Dominguez is going to face a ton of pressure to perform next season no matter what. The scrutiny might crush him if he's counted on to replace a superstar of Soto's caliber.
Anthony Volpe has already seized the starting shortstop role in the Bronx but Oswald Peraza was considered to be a superior prospect before Volpe's electric Spring Training performance earned him a ticket to the Bronx two years ago.
At the very least, the Yankees hoped Peraza and Volpe could both find a way to become quality starters in the team's infield by now. The likely departure of Gleyber Torres in free agency leaves the second base spot open in the everyday lineup. If Peraza had fulfilled his potential as a prospect than he could slot right into that vacancy with ease.
Instead, Peraza has struggled to show he's capable of being a quality regular during his cameos in the majors. That means Cashman has to find a new starting second baseman in free agency if he wants to improve Boone's infield in 2025. That kind of player won't come cheap on the open market.
Again, the Yankees are in a financial position where every dollar counts in free agency this offseason. They might not break the bank on a new second baseman, but it's hard to imagine the team signing a quality starter for anything less than $10 million in annual salary. It's easy to envision a scenario where that amount of money becomes a deciding factor for Soto and Scott Boras.
