Even after an American League pennant and a trip to the World Series, it’s easy to imagine the Yankees getting significantly better by the time next season opens. They’ve still got Aaron Judge anchoring their lineup, they have tradeable pieces on hand, particularly in the deep starting rotation, and they have roster holes–especially at first base–that are fairly easy to fill with cost-effective additions.
Upgrade a starting pitcher and beef up the bullpen, and there is little doubt the Yankees would go into next season as the favorites to go back to the MLB Fall Classic next October.
Assuming, that is, that they re-sign star outfielder Juan Soto.
Ah yes, the Soto business–he of the 41 homers and 109 RBI, with the slash line of .288/.419/.569. The Yankees can add some speed and youth to their offense next year, perhaps with infielder Caleb Durbin and outfielder Jasson Dominguez, but it will all be moot if they don’t bring back Soto.
As you’ve surely heard, Soto is a free agent, eagerly being wooed by not only the Yankees but by the Red Sox, Mets, Dodgers, Phillies and likely others, too. The combination of his age (26) and the number of big-market teams willing to shell out for him figures to make Soto’s contract an MLB record-breaker for position players, projected to be in the $500-$600 million range, with some estimates running to $700 million.
Yankees Desire to Sign Juan Soto ‘Most Acute’
While the payout will be enormous, the Yankees are probably in a position where they need Soto on their roster more than anyone else, even the star-seeking Mets. The Yankees had a breakthrough in 2024 and can’t afford to go back.
At ESPN, insider Jeff Passan tabbed bringing back Soto as the, “perfect” move for the Bombers. In a column titled, “Passan: 12 teams to watch this MLB offseason — and the perfect move for each,” he wrote:
“As long as owner Hal Steinbrenner is willing to pony up, the 2025 Yankees can be every bit as good, if not better than, their pennant-winning 2024 selves.
“But for all of the sense it makes for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox and others to add Soto, the Yankees’ desire to retain him is most acute. They know what life is like with him in the lineup, and the prospect of losing that — and the fallout from the Yankees being outbid for a future Hall of Famer — should make it clear why keeping him is the foremost priority.”
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Yankees Record-Breaking Juan Soto Move ‘Perfect’: Insider