The Yankees traded for Juan Soto this past offseason, guaranteeing them only one year with the superstar right fielder before he hit free agency. Sometimes these types of deals result in a quick extension (Francisco Lindor with the Mets and Mookie Betts with the Dodgers, to name two recent ones). Soto and the Yankees haven’t come together, though, and on Sunday, Yankees fans were chanting to re-sign the slugger.
“Re-sign Soto!” could be heard pretty easily, even on the broadcast during an 10-3 win over the Rockies. When asked about it after the game, Soto simply said to talk to the Yankees’ front office.
“I don’t know,” he said (via SNY). “They have to talk to [Yankees president of baseball operations Brian] Cashman.”
Fellow superstar Aaron Judge, who is on his second year of a nine-year, $360 million deal, stands with the fans and Soto.
“The fans are excited and they’ve got every right to be. He’s an incredible player who’s done a lot for us this year and I think they definitely want to see a lot more of that to come,” Judge told reporters.
“It’s gonna be his decision in the end and what’s best for his family. So, we can only do what we can from the chants.”
Soto is arguably having the best season of his career. Through 127 games, he’s hitting .299/.429/.606 (186 OPS+) with 25 doubles, four triples, 37 homers, 95 RBI, 108 runs and 7.5 WAR. It’s already a career high in WAR and home runs. He’ll hit his career high in runs scored any day now (he’s four away) and he’s 15 RBI off from tying his high-water mark.
Still, it seems unlikely Soto can grab his first MVP, as he’s slotted behind Judge and will have a hell of a fight for second place with Bobby Witt Jr.
In more important matters, the Yankees are in first place and have a legitimate shot to take the AL pennant for the first time since 2009. Soto, of course, has won the World Series before, when he was 20 years old on the 2019 Nationals.
As for Soto in free agency, he and his agent, Scott Boras, will likely be looking for the best offer. It could be the Yankees. Other huge-market teams like the Mets, Cubs and Dodgers can afford him, but it’s a question of whether or not they want to. We’ll hear plenty more once the World Series is over. Until then, Yankees fans will be doing all they can in the form of chanting.
