What might be Juan Soto's only season with the New York Yankees just came to a close as the team lost in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, and unsurprisingly, he was asked about his impending free agency and the deep-pocketed New York Mets as well.
“I mean, I don't know what's the teams that are going to come after me, but definitely, I'll be open to this and every single team,” Juan Soto said, via @SNY_Mets. “I don't have any doors closed or anything like that, so I'm gonna be available for all 30 teams.”
The Mets, a team that can compete with anyone financially, will almost surely be in the picture for Soto this winter. However, his comment about all 30 teams is intriguing, as there has been a notion that he prefers the east coast in the past. Only time will tell if that is really true. As far as the Yankees, Soto did not want to say if they have a leg up given that they are the incumbent team.
“I feel like every team has the same opportunities when I go into free agency,” Soto said, via @snyyankees. “I don't want to say anyone has an advantage because at the end of the day we're gonna look at what they have and how much they want me.”
The Yankees and Mets figure to be the main players for Soto, but it will be interesting to see what other teams are going to be in the sweepstakes for who is easily the biggest free agent in this year's class. Clearly, Soto is keeping every team in play, which is the smart move to maximize his market.
Who could be a player for Juan Soto outside of Yankees, Mets?
The Yankees and Mets are obvious fits. Both are contenders based on making deep runs this season. The Yankees have significant money coming off of their payroll, while the Mets have a ton of money coming off as well. Both teams have the money to offer a contract that could land the superstar. When you are talking about $500 million or more, there are a handful of teams who are in that category.
The Yankees and Mets are two, while the Los Angeles Dodgers are another obvious one. But is that feasible, given that at some point Soto is likely to transition to designated hitter, a spot that Shohei Ohtani will occupy? It is tough to deny the possibility, given the Dodgers' propensity to spend.
Other teams who have been mentioned in rumors over the past year are the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals. A team like the San Francisco Giants have been in on superstars in recent years, but failed to land them. It would not be out of the ordinary to see them involved as well.
The MLB offseason will be an eventful one, and Soto likely is the first domino that will fall before other significant players sign with teams. It will be interesting to see where he lands for 2025.