Juan Soto Says Yankees Fans ‘Have to Talk to Cashman’ After ‘Please Stay’ Chants
Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVAugust 25, 2024
Mike Stobe/Getty Images
New York Yankees fans who want Juan Soto to re-sign with the team after the 2024 season better hope they have the general manager’s ear.
Yankees fans were chanting “please stay” toward Soto during Sunday’s 10-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies, and the outfielder responded by saying they will have to talk to general manager Brian Cashman:
Yankees Videos @snyyankeesJuan Soto was asked about the “please stay Soto” chants:
“I don’t know. They have to talk to Cashman” đ pic.twitter.com/j9EN55osaw
Sunday was a perfect indication of why New York should want Soto to stay.
He started a memorable sequence in the seventh inning when he launched a solo home run, which was the first of back-to-back-to-back long balls with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. There aren’t many lineups in major league history that can match that power, and those sluggers figure to keep the Bronx Bombers in World Series contention throughout the campaign.
This is Soto’s first season with the Yankees after they acquired him from the San Diego Padres via trade this past offseason, but it hasn’t taken him long to become a favorite.
The 25-year-old is slashing .299/.429/.606 with 37 home runs and 97 RBI, which marks his second straight season with 35 or more long balls. He is also on track to surpass his career-high total of 110 RBI that he finished with in 2019.
Soto is exactly the type of young star that any team in the league would like to have in the middle of the lineup, so he will surely generate no shortage of interest this upcoming offseason.
New York is no stranger to paying the type of significant contracts often required to win those bidding wars, but indications at times this season have suggested it will have to wait to engage in discussions.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported in July there had been “no recent conversations” and “no momentum” toward the two sides coming to an agreement prior to the offseason. What’s more, Olney noted Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, didn’t seem keen to engage in serious discussions until the offseason when other teams could make offers as well.
Soto’s side has all the leverage at this point given his age, overall production and star power, and even his answer Sunday suggested it will be up to the Yankees’ front office to match what figures to be quite the asking price.
For now, though, he has a chance to help deliver a World Series title for a team that is one game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East standings.
