Yankees’ Juan Soto steps into the spotlight at the Subway Series
NEW YORK – Juan Soto has a career batting average of .339 and hit 11 home runs in just 33 games at Citi Field, so in some ways he already feels at home in Queens.
This week, Mets fans will likely be against Soto on the one hand, and Yankees fans will be tormented by what Soto might look like in their home pinstripes for the next decade or more.
An off-field battle between the Mets and Yankees for Soto, who is a free agent at the end of the year, would dwarf anything the Subway Series has to offer this summer.
The potential bidding war for Soto will last about five months, but he will be the subject of discussion on Tuesday and Wednesday when the Yankees and Mets meet for the first time this regular season.
More pressing is the need to reverse the Yankees’ recent trend, which has seen them lose three games in a row to Boston, Baltimore and Atlanta.
The possible bidding war for Juan Soto in November
Maybe the Yankees universe should just hope that this Grimace Effect takes root and the Mets secure a postseason spot instead of falling apart, giving multi-billionaire owner Steve Cohen further incentive to rebuild the Mets this winter – starting with Soto.
What we don’t know is to what extent Soto’s obvious joy at being with the Yankees – and the deep, mutual affection between Soto and Yankees fans – will weigh when it comes to negotiating.
However, if your agent is Scott Boras, the goal is to reach free agency and sign with the highest bidder in a purely businesslike manner.
That could force Yankees owner Hal ($300 million payroll is unsustainable) Steinbrenner to pay an uncomfortable price to keep his superstar hitter and on-base machine – the player most responsible for bringing the Yankees’ lineup out of its slumber in 2023.
The mere thought of being outbid on Soto – especially by the Mets – is clearly infuriating to the Yankees universe, who have done everything short of collecting money to get him to stay.
A “generational player” on the way to becoming a free agent
Before Soto played a single game as a Yankee player, Steinbrenner called him “a player of a generation” when he arrived in December as part of a groundbreaking contract with the San Diego Padres.
Aaron Judge quickly grew to appreciate Soto’s talent and preparation as a teammate in spring training and said he wanted 2024 to be “his best year.” He believed that if Soto was happy and performing at his best, “that would just get us one step closer to the World Series.”
Recently, manager Aaron Boone expressed hope for a long-term relationship between the Yankees and Soto.
“He’s one of the best players in the game and was great in our room,” Boone said.
“I felt very early in spring training that he fit in really well with the guys and obviously made a big difference to our team and our lineup.”
“It was fun to watch Soto’s ability to control every shot and the joy he gets from being in the spotlight and interacting with the fans,” Boone said.
“He does a really good job of balancing being serious and dedicated to his craft with a real obsession to win, but also being carefree.
“Sometimes you forget that Juan is 25 years old,” Boone said. Plus, he plays every day, two more factors that make him a free agent.
“He has so much experience in this game and obviously has had a lot of success,” including a World Series ring with the Washington Nationals in 2019.
“Although in many ways he plays the game like a kid and enjoys it, there is also an old soul inside him who really understands and loves the game,” Boone said.
“You can see how much he loves this game. It comes across and he shares it with his teammates.”
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