Outfielder Juan Soto has set himself up for a huge payday after spending 2024 with the New York Yankees. Contract predictions have progressed from the $500 million range to the $600 million range now that free agency is here. Can he surpass Shohei Ohtani’s record and get a $700-plus million guarantee?
Although Soto just turned 26 years old, he’s among baseball’s best hitters. He’s been to four All-Star Games and has won five Silver Slugger Awards since debuting in 2018 with the Washington Nationals. Teaming up with Aaron Judge in the Bronx further displayed the type of impact he can have on a lineup.
Soto was named one of three American League MVP Award finalists after hitting .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs, 109 RBI and 128 runs scored in 713 games. Baseball-Reference valued his performance at 7.9 WAR, which is a new career-high mark for the left-handed slugger.
Harry How/Getty Images
He’s getting courted by several big-market teams since hitting the open market. The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays have also recently made “impressive” sales pitches to the outfielder. Can Yankees general manager Brian Cashman convince Soto to spurn New York’s American League East rivals and remain in the Bronx?
CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa thinks so, but not without setting a couple of contract records. “My hunch is Soto returns to the Yankees, though I’m about 55/45 on that rather than the 95/5 it would be if George Steinbrenner was running the team and not his son Hal,” he said. “Let’s call the contract 15 years and $720 million, or $48 million per year. Crazy? Eh, not really. Wait until you get a load of what the Steinbrenner family is worth. Soto will make history times two this offseason.”
It will be fascinating to see how high interested teams will go in a bidding war to try and reel Soto in for the next decade-plus.
More MLB: Cy Young Winner Predicted To Cut Ties With Giants For $140 Million Deal With Red Sox
