The New York Yankees are back in the ALCS for the first time since 2022. They’ll be trying to reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. If that happens, outfielder Juan Soto will likely be one of the reasons why.
But what will his future hold beyond 2024? Will it include the Yankees?
NorthJersey.com’s Pete Caldera shared an interesting quote from the outfielder ahead of New York’s ALCS matchup with the Cleveland Guardians.
“When you put that jersey on and those pinstripes, it just feels different,” Soto said. “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.”
Soto made $31 million with the Yankees in 2024 and is primed to break contract records upon hitting free agency. Spotrac is pegging market value at 14 years and $513 million. The Athletic’s Tim Britton has shared several Soto contract projections. His most recent one was for 14 years and $560 million.
Keeping Juan Soto With Aaron Judge Would Be Huge for the Yankees
The Yankees acquired Soto via trade with the San Diego Padres last winter, hoping he’d help improve the offense. That’s exactly what he’s done while mostly hitting in front of Aaron Judge this year.
Soto was named an All-Star for the third time in his career. He finished with a .288/.419/.569 line with 41 home runs, 31 doubles, 109 RBI and 128 runs scored in 713 plate appearances. Pairing that with Judge’s league-leading 58 home runs, 144 RBI and 122 runs scored packed quite the punch for New York’s offense.
According to FanGraphs, Judge was worth 11.2 WAR and Soto was worth 8.1 WAR. No other player on the Yankees’ roster produced a WAR higher than 3.4. Their combined production lifted the entire offense, too. New York’s 117 team wRC+ was the second-highest mark in baseball this past year. The Yankees’ 92 wRC+ in 2023 ranked 22nd.
The Yankees Are Still Viewed as Favorites for Juan Soto
Jon Heyman of the New York Post discussed potential Soto landing spots during an October 10 live stream for Bleacher Report. He named the Yankees as the “clear” favorites, with the New York Mets second in line.
Heyman listed the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies as other potential contenders.
If Soto has given any thought to where he’ll be playing beyond 2024, he’s made sure to not tip his hand when people ask him about it publicly.
“Even in my house and everything, we never even talk about that (next contract),” Soto said to Caldera. “We keep it simple, just come here, enjoy the moment, enjoy where we’re at, and we’ll see what happens.”
The outfielder’s free agency will be interesting to follow. Being a generational talent reaching the open market at 26 years old is one part of it. Another interesting wrinkle is that the Yankees are already the third team he’s played for since debuting in 2018. So, it’s not as if he has no idea what it’s like to play outside his current organization.
Having a career year and being on the doorstep of the World Series with the Bombers might give them another advantage, too.
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