NEW YORK — It’s bad enough New York Yankees fair suffered a World Series loss as frustrating as any in recent memorynow they have to worry about whether or not their arguably best all-around player will leave during the offseason.

Juan Soto is officially a free agent and judging by his incredible 2024 season, he will have several suitors who will be willing to offer him what could amount to a record contract.

“I’m very happy with the city, with the team, but in the end we’ll see,” Soto said after Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. “We are going to analyze every situation, every offer we receive. I don’t know which teams want to come after me, but I will definitely be open to listening to each team. I don’t have any closed doors or anything like that, so we will be available to all 30 teams.” “.

The Yankees, of course, will be one of the interested teams, but Soto, as much as he says he loves New York, will almost certainly take his time and explore every possible scenario. The 26-year-old outfielder, a generational talent by any measure, is known for being deliberate when it comes to where he plays. In mid-2022, he turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract to remain with the Washington Nationals.

He was eventually traded to the San Diego Padres, who got him one season before sending him to the Yankees last offseason. He was then awarded a record $31 million, one-year contract in arbitration.

Needless to say, Soto will be the prize of the offseason. So buckle up Yankees fans, this is going to be a process and probably stressful.

Juan Soto was worth every dollar for the Yankees in 2024

Soto lived up to the hype in New York and then some, and did so under the greatest attention imaginable. Although the Yankees lost the World SeriesSoto played extremely well in the regular season and during the Bombers’ postseason run.

The slugging right fielder hit .288 with 41 home runs and a career-high 109 RBIs in 157 games during the regular season. He also posted a stellar .419 on-base percentage, second only in the MLB to teammate Aaron Judge’s remarkable .458.

In the playoffs, Soto hit base with a .469 OBP, to go along with his .327 average, four home runs and nine RBIs in 14 games.

although judge He is expected to win his second American League MVP award.expect Soto to get a lot of love from voters.

Before Game 5, Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it very clear what he wants to happen moving forward.

“I hope he’s here forever,” Boone said of Soto. “I also know I’m excited for him and what the next few months are going to be like for him. But from my perspective, I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

What type of contract could Juan Soto order?

In short, considering Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. signed a 10-year, $700 million contract ahead of the 2024 seasonSoto’s next contract can be expected to be in that vicinity, both in dollars and years. Ohtani’s contract is unique in that $680 million is deferred for a decade, making it much easier for Los Angeles to stay competitive.

Could the Yankees do something similar? Maybe. But they have a little problem because they already pay Judge $40 million per season. Although Judge has proven to be a tremendous teammate and extremely selfless, he is arguably the best player in baseball, along with Ohtani. He is also the captain of the Yankees, an honor that speaks for itself in terms of prestige and respect.

Judge said all the right things on Wednesday.

“It would be great to keep playing with him because he’s definitely a special player,” Judge told reporters. “I think everyone in this room wants him back… He just does a lot of the little things that people don’t notice that really make him one of the best players, if not the best, in the game.”

Still, it’s fair to say that paying Soto more annually could be considered by some to be an insult to Judge. However, let’s not forget that Judge is six years older, and since the Yankees have not won a championship in the last 16 years, the pressure will be on management and ownership to take a chance on a player who could be a cornerstone of the franchise long after Judge no longer plays at a high level.

As for which teams will be interested in Soto, his expected price tag is sure to scare many, but big spenders like the Dodgers, New York Mets, the sometimes aggressive Toronto Blue Jays and possibly the Philadelphia Phillies could find themselves in the mix. right place. the bulk of the draw.