The New York Yankees have had a strong start to the 2024 MLB season. New York holds the top spot in the AL East through 68 games. Former San Diego Padres star Juan Soto has greatly impacted the team's success. Thus, he could earn a massive contract during the offseason free agency period.
A group of MLB Insiders came together to predict the earnings Soto could command. Their responses indicate the star first baseman getting roughly $500 million over several years, per ESPN's Kiley McDaniel.
The average of all projections is a contract for 11.6 years and $482.2 million with a $41.4 million average annual value (AAV). The median projection of the deals is 13 years, $500 million, numbers that align with the industry consensus of Soto's contract.
Juan Soto is predicted to earn a hefty load, but will the Yankees supply him with it?
McDaniel believes New York has a fair chance to retain Soto with several suitors in pursuit of him.
“It's still very early, of course, but the Yankees and Mets were by far the most common answer when discussing potential outcomes with our panel of baseball insiders. Beyond them, the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays were all brought up multiple times — but everyone else mentioned is seen as secondary to the New York clubs at this point,” McDaniel said.
New York has to take Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Dominguez's contracts into consideration when negotiating with Soto. The Yankees already have a big pay roll, but Soto's impact on the team cannot be ignored.
How far can Juan Soto take the Yankees amid contract buzz?
On Dec. 6th, the Padres traded Soto and OF Trent Grisham to New York in exchange for RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHP Jhony Brito, RHP Randy Vasquez, and RHP Drew Thorpe. The blockbuster deal allowed Soto a new start on a team with high aspirations, and he has not disappointed.
Juan Soto has been highly productive during his first year in the Bronx. Through 65 games, the 25-year-old has batted a .318 average, hit 17 home runs, and has been responsible for 53 RBI with a 1.024 OPS. Each of the aforementioned stats are top-six or higher MLB rankings. He has helped New York's offense bloom as one of the best in the AL East.
Analysts predicted Soto would be a game-changer for the Yankees, considering his previous production with the Padres. In 2023, the left-hander batted an average of .275, hit 35 home runs, had 109 RBI, and boasted an OPS of .930. The latter two of his stats were ranked top ten in the league. In addition, Soto proved to be durable after playing a career-high 162 games.
Hopefully, the star first baseman can continue his ascent and help New York make a deep playoff run. The Yankees finished the 2023 season with an 82-80 record. As a result, they missed the postseason for the first time in six years.
Yet, with Soto and the multitude of the club's contributors, there is a good chance fans will be happy in the Fall of 2024. Can Juan Soto keep his foot on the gas amid his contract buzz?
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