Free agents can now start talking to teams. Players will be eligible to sign five days after the World Series, which will be at 5 p.m. Eastern time on November 4. Trades can also happen, as there have already been some around the league. For the New York Yankees, their Juan Soto saga could be figured out much quicker than it seems.
Soto, clearly one of the top players in Major League Baseball, is expected to have a massive list of suitors with big offers. The Yankees have the money to sign the slugger, but Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, will ultimately decide where the superstar lands.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic made his latest prediction, writing that Soto will land a $622 million deal to keep him in the Bronx.
“The Yankees match the Mets’ and Dodgers’ best offers to Juan Soto, signing him to a $622 million contract that keeps the Soto-Aaron Judge tandem in New York’s lineup for years to come,” Bowden wrote on November 1.
Soto’s Comments on Free Agency
Over the past nine months, Soto has told reporters exactly what he needs to regarding his free agency. Boras and him are clearly on the same page, as the left-handed hitting outfielder will listen to every team that comes his way.
When a player could be looking at a $600 million deal, there will likely only be a handful of suitors. A few teams could sign Soto, but the reality is that only big-market teams with a lot of money to spend will be in the mix.
After the New York Yankees lost in the World Series, Soto said he was “happy” playing for the organization but confirmed he’d be open to all teams.
“I don’t think so,” Soto said on October 30, according to Gabe Lacques of USA Today. “I’m really happy with the city, with the team, but at the end of the day we’re going to look at every situation, every offer we get, and take it from there.
“I don’t know what teams will want to come after me, but I’ll be open to this and every single team. I don’t have any doors closed or anything like that. I’m going to be available to all 30 teams.”
Soto Viewed as Top Free Agent on the Market
Soto’s $600-plus million prediction shouldn’t surprise the New York Yankees or any other team interested in signing him. There’s a strong argument that he’s a top-two player to hit free agency over the past decade, and because he’s just turning 26 years old, he’ll be compensated for that.
A few high-level players are on the market, but everyone around the industry views Soto as the prized possession, including Bowden, who highlighted what he did in his first season with the Yankees.
“Has Juan Soto found his permanent home with the Yankees? Can they keep him after a strong platform year? He certainly lived up to expectations in his first year in the Bronx, slashing .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and a league-leading 128 runs scored,” Bowden wrote on October 31. “He’s expected to finish third in the American League MVP voting behind Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. He’s met the big moments in this postseason and has logged a 1.106 OPS.
“By all indications, he’s poised to become the second-highest-paid player in baseball history, behind only Shohei Ohtani. He’s a generational talent who will hit free agency at only 26 and should be able to land a 15-year deal.”
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Yankees Star Inks $622 Million Contract in Latest MLB Free Agency Prediction