MLB insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com predicts the New York Yankees will re-sign star outfielder Juan Soto.
Soto is expected to make his decision soon and it’s expected to come down to the Yankees, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox.
Recent reports have indicated that the Yankees are a distant third, but Feinsand doesn’t think that is true. Instead, he believes it’s a big smokescreen for the Yankees to spend more money.
“Ah, the misdirection,” Feinsand wrote on MLB.com. “This feels like a big smokescreen. Get the Blue Jays (and Red Sox?) involved to scare the Yankees about having to face him in the AL East for the next decade-plus. Get the Mets involved because they have the most money — and because the Yankees won’t want to lose him to the Mets and see him on the back pages for the next decade-plus.”
Soto was a key part of the Yankees offense last season and the hope for the Yankees is he will remain in the Bronx for the foreseeable future.
Feinsand also believes the Yankees will have the final offer to re-sign Soto.
“Will he be “The Man” with the Mets? That’s Francisco Lindor’s team,” Feinsand wrote. “Maybe he would be the man in Boston. I think the Yankees believe they will have a final crack to match or beat whatever the best offer they have is, so why throw out your final number now? Soto and [agent] Scott Boras aren’t signing without taking that final deal back to the Yankees.”
Soto hit .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs last season.
Yankees Reporter Questions Blue Jays Interest in Soto
In the same debate between MLB insiders and reporters, the Yankees reporter Bryan Hoch doubts there is legit interest in Soto with the Blue Jays.
“Even if hypothetically the Blue Jays did outbid everyone from a dollars and years perspective, there are tax/exchange rate and logistics considerations at play,” Yankees reporter Hoch wrote. “Look, Toronto checks a lot of boxes in terms of what we think Soto might be looking for — major metro market, East Coast. But every time he was asked about his priorities, he said: “Winning.” Are the Blue Jays his best opportunity to do that long term?”
Feinsand, meanwhile, also questions how serious the interest from the Blue Jays is for Scott Boras and Soto.
“Not if signing Soto means Vlad and Bo Bichette leave after this year. And there’s no guarantee that the Jays will be able to lure more free agents in the future, either,” Feinsand added.
Yankees Focused on Re-Signing Soto
New York’s goal this offseason is to re-sign Soto.
Soto is the top free agent available, and Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said the goal is to keep him in the Bronx.
“Our fans really enjoyed having him in New York,” Steinbrenner said. “He’s definitely a significant part of why we got to the World Series. I’ve got ears. I know what’s expected of me. So, look, it’s been a priority. We wouldn’t have gone out to the West Coast if it wasn’t.”
Soto would keep the Yankees’ World Series window alive and make them one of the best teams in the MLB.
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Insider Predicts Yankees Will Re-Sign Juan Soto After ‘Smokescreen’ From Rivals