Soto may have provided a crucial clue of his free agency destination.
The 2023 MLB Free Agency period was one of the most intriguing in league history, because to Shohei Ohtani’s decision with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, another well-known athlete may change teams between now and 2024. Juan Soto, a New York Yankees star, will hit free agency this winter, and a prominent MLB Insider noted a key notion he revealed in late July.
Soto was asked which MLB great he would still like to play with, and he chose Dodgers sensation Shohei Ohtani. As a result, Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated that Soto’s desire to team up with Ohtani could indicate a winter exit from New York. There’s a chance Soto gets bids from the West.
“Soto by all accounts is loving his time in pinstripes, and there’s some belief he’d prefer the East Coast, but The Post reported he was in serious talks with the Padres last summer, then discussions were halted when late Padres owner Peter Seidler became ill,” according to Heyman.
Juan Soto joined the Yankees via trade in December 2023, following a two-year stay with the Padres. Soto was expected to have a significant impact on the club, and so far he has not disappointed. In 94 games, the 25-year-old has 23 home runs, 66 RBI, and a.985 OPS, all of which are among the top ten in MLB. In addition, he has a.295 batting average, good for 14th in the league.
Soto helped the Yankees get out to a solid start in 2024, when they held the AL East’s top slot for much of the season. New York cooled down before the All-Star break, going 4-6 in their last ten games. They still rank second in the category.
Where will Juan Soto land in 2024 MLB Free Agency?Â
If Soto continues to produce well for the Yankees and contributes to the team’s deep playoff run, he is likely to stay in the Bronx. However, as Heyman mentioned, he might pursue his teammate fantasy with Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers. While opportunity and individuals are important considerations, Heyman stated that Soto’s decision will “largely come down to the deal,” or the cash offer he receives.
In June, a group of MLB Insiders gathered to forecast Soto’s earnings potential. According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, their responses indicated that the star first baseman will receive approximately $500 million over the next several years.
The average of all forecasts was an 11.6-year deal worth $482.2 million, with an average annual value of $41.4 million (AAV). The median prediction of the deals was 13 years and $500 million, which is consistent with the industry consensus on Soto’s contract.
McDaniel also commented on the suitors that are likely to battle for Soto’s services.
“It’s still early, of course, but the Yankees and Mets were by far the most often mentioned teams when debating probable outcomes with our panel of baseball insiders. Beyond them, the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays were all named several times, but everyone else is viewed as secondary to the New York clubs at this juncture,” McDaniel stated.
It will be intriguing to see where the Yankees star ends up during the thrilling MLB Free Agency period.
