The New York Yankees advanced to the American League Championship Series and will take on the Cleveland Guardians in a seven-game set starting on October 14. For a Yankees team that wants to re-sign Juan Soto in the offseason, they’ll have an excellent opportunity to show the star why he should stay by winning a World Series.
While winning a World Series would be an excellent selling point for Soto, his free agency decision could ultimately come down to money.
If the Yankees were hoping he’d only land $500 million, the latest prediction from Eli Ben-Porat of Baseball America, who predicted the left-handed hitter would land a $701 million deal, isn’t on their side.
“He’s hitting the ball harder than ever with elite plate discipline and elite contact skills and increasing his average launch angle just enough, leading to a career-high barrel rate and a career high in home runs. In his seven-year career, which includes his age-19 rookie season, Soto has posted a wRC+ of at least 143 in each season…
“How big of a contract will Soto get? Before the season, I predicted that Soto will sign with the Yankees for 15 years, $701 million dollars (please ignore my other bold predictions),” Porat wrote on October 10. “I think that’s roughly what he’ll get in free agency, and I think there is almost no chance the Yankees let him walk. There are very few players in baseball for whom you can expect a six-win floor for at least the next three seasons, and any team that’s looking to win a World Series is going to want to sign him. As with the infamous ‘Arson Judge’ moment, when it temporarily looked like the Yankees slugger was going to San Francisco, I think New York will do whatever it takes to sign him. And I think that number will be $1 million more than what Shohei Ohtani received.”
Soto’s Latest Comments Are Promising for Yankees
Every comment Soto has made about the New York Yankees and his free agency has been looked at under a microscope. Rightfully so, too, as most insiders view him as the top free agent by a wide margin.
His latest comments about playing for the Yankees were positive and could be a sign of what’s to come, highlighting what it means to wear the pinstripes.
“When you put that jersey on and those pinstripes, it just feels different,” said Soto in October, according to Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com. “There’s so much history and everything, so many fans all over the world that we have…it feels really nice to play for a team that has so many big moments in history.
“It feels good, because everywhere you go, the fans are there waiting for you, cheering for you, wishing you the best, and you feel that. You feel that in every aspect.”
Is Soto Worth $701 Million?
If Soto were to land a $701 million deal, the New York Yankees would have to determine whether they believe he’s worth that price.
Soto landing a $701 million contract would make him the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball history, beating Shohei Ohtani’s deal by $1 million.
Ohtani, who also pitches, could be viewed as a more valuable player because of that.
However, what Soto has done for the Yankees and throughout his seven-year career shows the type of player he is. Only 25-years-old, Soto has posted a career slash line of .285/.421/.532 with a 160 OPS+.
