Latest Juan Soto rumors prove Shohei Ohtani could screw Yankees a second time

The richness of a fan of the New York Yankees imploring MLB to explore a salary cap isn't lost on me, and so, in response, I simply will not do that. But, if the Los Angeles Dodgers sign Juan Soto this offseason, than the league has to look into the legality of contract deferrals, at the very least.

Also, the NFL should retroactively ban whatever nonsense Tom Brady used to do to stretch the Patriots' salary cap, as well as toss the QB directly into a jail. But that's neither here nor there.

The pressure to re-sign Soto is currently pushing the Yankees into the ground, and fans are well aware that no matter how integral he's been to a World Series run and how much fun he's having, the pricetag isn't going to go down whatsoever. The Yankees gained a nice little inherent advantage by advancing to the Fall Classic (while the Mets were outgunned by the Dodgers), but this Era of Good Feelings won't last unless they come and play in the required high-dollar sandbox. We don't think Hal Steinbrenner will be foolish enough to get blown out of the water, but the more behemoths that enter the fray, the lesser his offer appears.

The Mets will certainly be heavily involved on Soto, as will the Phillies, who will probably make an emotional, Kevin Long-centric appeal. But guess what? The Dodgers reportedly plan to convince Soto that he doesn't actually hate the west coast after all, and it's all because of Shohei Ohtani's ridiculous contract.

Yankees could lose Juan Soto to Dodgers' checkbook after Shohei Ohtani contract

No need to rehash it too much, but in order to secure Ohtani's services at his desired price, the Dodgers stretched his $700 million contract into a future millennium, lowering his AAV to "just" $46 million for tax purposes. How magnanimous of Ohtani.

These deferrals allowed the Dodgers to make Yoshinobu Yamamoto's dream come true, signing the Japanese right-hander and tossing his customized Yankees jersey directly into the trash for him. Not coincidentally, Yamamoto started and won Game 2 of the World Series, surrendering only a single hit: a Soto home run.

Now, they might allow the unbearably deep-pocketed Dodgers to make a run at Soto, too, adding a third terrifying bidder to the Yankees' watch list. And, while Ohtani's deferrals haven't seemed to inspire Soto, his total sure has; the outfielder's rumored goal now involves topping that $700 million mark. THANKS, Ohtani!

But, as Jeff Passan wrote in his Soto free agency primer last week:

"But remember: Soto spent a year in San Diego, where the weather is better and the talent similar, and he didn't lament his trade from there to the Yankees. There are no direct flights from California to the Dominican Republic, either, and for a player as close with his family as Soto, that's the sort of impediment that can make a difference."

Soto purportedly grew up a Yankee fan, and spent his time in San Diego trying to sneak east. The money will be the determining factor, but given their inherent advantages, the Yankees would be foolish not to draw even with the Dodgers here.

Of course, the only reason we have to even think beyond the Mets is Ohtani, the magical mechanical man who can pop his shoulder back into place with the strength of a construction crew. Neat.