The end of Juan Soto’s arbitration case is drawing near, much like the New York Yankees’ playoff run. Soto signed a one-year, $31 million deal in the final year of arbitration, and he’s now on the edge of a fantastic summer that will certainly make him a very, very rich man.
The Yankees are reportedly getting ready to put up a big fight to keep Soto around for the long haul. Soto is a generational talent who is still in the early phases of his prime at the age of just 25.
Many teams would be eager to sign him, but managing partner Hal Steinbrenner would feel obliged to give him a blank check if he aids the Yankees in a lengthy playoff run. A deal worth more than $500 million is attainable, but the Yankees will have to contend with fierce bidding rivalry from the Mets, their cross-town rivals.
Soto is enjoying one of his best seasons to date this year. In 152 games, he has hit.287/.418/.572, with 104 RBIs and a career-high 40 home runs. With the exception of the truncated 2020 season, Soto has impressively maintained a higher walk rate than strikeout rate, and his 179 wRC+ is the greatest of his career. To further highlight his worth, his 7.9 WAR is a career-high as well.
Although Juan Soto has often been viewed as a defensive liability, he has performed surprisingly well in the outfield this season. Over 1,242.2 innings in right field, he has recorded -1 defensive runs saved and -4 outs above average. While these numbers are slightly below average, his defensive efforts are more than acceptable considering his outstanding offensive contributions.
Soto, already a World Series champion, could form a formidable lineup alongside Aaron Judge, setting the stage for potential dominance in the years to come. While Judge remains the league’s top offensive player, he is aging. Teaming him with a younger talent like Soto creates a remarkable offensive duo that would surely make the late George Steinbrenner proud.
The Competition of the Mets
Given their strong financial position, the Mets are anticipated to be the Yankees’ main rival for Soto. However, as they continue to pay off the contracts of players they’ve traded for, the Mets are expected to be relatively cash-strapped during the 2025 offseason. They might have to decide between Soto and pitcher Corbin Burnes if they have both on their radar. This ought to spark a fierce and swift bidding battle for the elite outfield player.
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