Juan Soto Rumors: Yankees ‘Upgraded’ Contract Offer Amid Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers Buzz

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVNovember 27, 2024

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The New York Yankees have “upgraded their initial bid” to star outfielder Juan Soto, according to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

Heyman reported the Bronx Bombers “remain almost solely focused on Soto” and don’t want to leave anything to chance with the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in the hunt.

Heyman added that Soto’s price could climb past $600 million and that the four-time All-Star is aiming to get a 15-year pact.

Some of the dominoes are beginning to fall in MLB free agency.

Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi is headed to the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year deal reportedly worth $63 million. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is signing with the Dodgers for five years and $182 million, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported Tuesday that Scott Boras, Soto’s agent, requested for any interested teams to have their initial offers made by Thanksgiving. A resolution could arrive around the MLB winter meetings, which get underway Dec. 8.

The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty provided some additional context:

Brendan Kuty 🧟‍♂️ @BrendanKutyNJ(Cont.) … expected to become increasingly more serious, weeding out candidates and seemingly point toward a Winter Meetings-ish decision timeframe.

The Dodgers’ pursuit of Snell could be somewhat instructive of their true desire to land Soto.

“The addition of a pitcher like Snell, then, was practically a necessity,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote Wednesday. “And while the Dodgers will remain in the mix for free-agent outfielder Juan Soto, if only to jack up the price for the other bidders, signing him was a longshot from the start.”

Even if the reigning World Series champions are ultimately out, the Yankees could have stiff competition from within their own city. There’s a sense Mets owner Steve Cohen will be prepared to top whatever offer another team puts on the table.

For fans in the Bronx, it’s encouraging that the Yankees have already made some movement with Soto’s representatives. But that won’t count for much if he lands elsewhere.

The franchise’s singular focus on the talented slugger could also backfire if it means ceding ground on other top free agents.