Hal Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees, is worried about the New York Mets’ involvement in the Juan Soto trade.
For Soto, the Mets and Yankees are thought to be the top contenders. According to Steinbrenner, the Yankees and Soto had a productive meeting.
However, Steinbrenner believes Steve Cohen’s money is a problem when asked about Soto meeting with the Mets and other teams.
When questioned about Cohen’s purchasing power, Steinbrenner responded, “I could say that about a couple other owners too.” or businesses that stand in for the ownership group, for that matter. Therefore, it’s obviously a worry.
The Mets’ chances of re-signing Soto are hampered by their financial situation, as Steinbrenner notes. According to YES Network MLB expert Michael Kay, Cohen has assured Scott Boras that he will pay $50 million more than any other team.
“I also heard from someone in baseball today [Monday] that [Steve] Cohen is willing to pay $50 million more than anyone else is willing to offer,” Kay added. “It appears that the Mets are serious about acquiring this player.”
Steinbrenner says he is worried about the Mets, but it’s unclear if that will be the case.
The Yankees’ owner describes their meeting with Soto as “good.”
Steinbrenner attested to the team’s meeting with Boras and Soto. Described as “good,” the conversation included “very honest back-and-forth dialogue,” according to the Yankees owner.
According to Steinbrenner, the Yankees are seeking to keep Soto, who was a vital part of their attack that advanced to the World Series.
“Having him in New York was a huge hit with our fans,” Steinbrenner added. “He undoubtedly had a big role in our World Series success. I have ears. I am aware of the expectations. You see, that has been a top priority. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have traveled to the West Coast.
It will probably be a bidding battle to get Soto, though, as he is attracting interest from multiple MLB teams.
New York will probably change course and focus on the other top free-agent hitters if the Yankees are unable to acquire Soto.
Any player can be signed by the Yankees.
Steinbrenner claims the Yankees have no financial constraints going into the winter.
According to Steinbrenner, the Yankees will be free to sign any player they like this off-season, therefore they intend to spend and win.
“Compared to a year ago, we’re in a stronger starting position. That is undeniable,” Steinbrenner stated. As you can see, payrolls like this year’s and the luxury taxes they generate are unsustainable year after year. For most owners, if not all of them, that is the case. Year after year does not preclude me from doing what I desire in any given year. We have the power to sign any athlete we so choose, after all.
Steinbrenner hopes the funds will be used to keep Soto, but he is unsure if that will be the case.
In free agency, Soto will likely sign a contract at more than $600 million.
The Yankees and Mets are expected to bid a record $707 million for Juan Soto.
After a fantastic 2024 season, the New York Yankees are celebrating Aaron Judge, their franchise star, winning the consensus Most Valuable Player Award. However, they have a lot of work ahead of them if they hope to assist Judge in replicating that feat and get the team back to the World Series in 2025.
Juan Soto, the Yankees’ second-best hitter from the previous campaign, is now a free agent and has been receiving offers this winter from big-market teams like the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. The 26-year-old, who has won five Silver Slugger Awards and been named to the All-Star team four times, is expected to want a historic contract for the upcoming season and beyond, so the Yankees will need to spend heavily to entice him back.
Deesha Thosar of FOX Sports predicts, “I still believe the Yankees will ultimately land Soto, though it will be a close competition between the two New York teams. They simply can’t afford to let Soto get away, especially after he propelled them to the World Series. I remain confident they won’t let that happen.”
Steve Cohen, the owner of the Mets, might be the Yankees’ greatest opponent if they are serious about keeping Soto. Given that his team’s 2025 books will bring in almost $180 million, Cohen has the power to significantly increase Soto’s contract.
“I believe Cohen will push the price higher, so a deal around $707 million over 15 years might be what it takes for the Yankees to secure Soto,” said Thosar.
With this deal, Soto would get the highest contract worth in sports history, surpassing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the previous offseason. Notably, in addition to being one of baseball’s top hitters, Ohtani is anticipated to start on the mound for the Dodgers. In 2024, he took a break from pitching to win the National League MVP Award as a designated hitter.
Notable is also the fact that Ohtani agreed to large pay deferrals, which gave the Dodgers the freedom to sign a number of other big free agents and have some cash on hand for the future. The Yankees or whichever team ends up acquiring Soto will probably hope that he would be amenable to some similar deferrals if the bidding for him hits the $700 million mark.
