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Let the Juan Soto sweepstakes start.
All eyes now flip towards the slugger’s impending free company after his New York Yankees misplaced the World Sequence to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was requested about his mindset going into the offseason after Wednesday’s Recreation 5 and did not shut the door on any groups.
“I really feel like each crew has the identical alternatives after I go into free company,” Soto instructed reporters.
He was additionally particularly requested in regards to the New York Mets and echoed these ideas when he mentioned, “I do not know what is the groups which might be going to return after me. Undoubtedly, I will be open to this and each single crew. I haven’t got any doorways closed. I”m gonna be accessible for all 30 groups.”
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“I really feel like each crew has the identical alternatives after I go into free company.”
-Juan Soto on if the Yankees have a bonus in his free company
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Juan Soto was asked if he expects the Mets to go after him in free agency:
“I don’t know what’s the teams that are going to come after me. Definitely, I’ll be open to this and every single team. I don’t have any doors closed. I”m gonna be available for all 30 teams pic.twitter.com/3VICeWeney
For his part, Yankees teammate Aaron Judge expressed his hope Soto would return to the Bronx Bombers and said, “We were definitely lucky to have him here, and it would be great to keep playing with him because he’s definitely a special player.”
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Aaron Judge was asked if he’s thought about tonight possibly being Juan Soto’s last game as a Yankee:
“We were definitely lucky to have him here and it would be great to keep playing with him because he’s definitely a special player.” pic.twitter.com/hrXXf5nK7h
While Soto kept his options wide open with the comments, the reality is every team will not be in the running to sign him.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers famous he probably will not attain the $700 million deal Shohei Ohtani acquired from the Dodgers final offseason however will nonetheless ink a contract that “will definitely be wealthy.”
Soto was even requested about probably signing a deal for greater than $600 million and mentioned, “It is some huge cash that individuals are speaking about right here and there, however positively we’re going to shake it out.”
There are solely a handful of groups within the league that can even entertain such a deal for one participant, and the 2 in New York are probably on the record.
In spite of everything, the Mets and Yankees topped the league in 2024 payrolls with the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies and Dodgers rounding out the highest 5. The Mets make sense as a possible vacation spot, as he’s already aware of New York and will present the lacking piece to assist them take the following step after reaching the Nationwide League Championship Sequence.
Pete Alonso can be an impending free agent, that means they may very well be out there for one more slugger if the ability hitter leaves.
In addition they match the invoice as a crew in the midst of a successful window, which Soto mentioned is necessary.
“I really feel like everyone needs to be on a successful crew,” he mentioned. “That is one of many largest issues that you just look as much as. You need to be a part of this. Even in case you do not make it to the final crew standing, you need to be concerned in all these [games], so I feel that is one of many largest issues I am in search of.”
Soto is the uncommon generational celebrity who is out there in free company in the midst of what figures to be his peak at 26 years previous. He already has an inventory of accomplishments that features a World Sequence title, a batting title, 4 Silver Sluggers and 4 All-Star Recreation nods, and he was wonderful this previous season for the Yankees.
He slashed .288/.419/.569 with 41 house runs, 109 RBI and a league-best 128 runs after which hit .327 with 4 house runs in 14 postseason video games as New York reached the World Sequence.
The following crew that indicators him might have him for greater than a decade. To listen to him inform it, that may very well be any crew.