Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has no regrets about the team’s approach to negotiating with Juan Soto, even as the superstar opted to join the New York Mets. Soto’s decision to sign a 16-year, $805 million deal with the Mets has been met with speculation, including reports that a free family suite at Citi Field swayed him. However, Cashman insists that such perks were not the deciding factor.
Brian Cashman defends decision not to offer Juan Soto a suite: ‘no regrets’
Cashman likened the situation to his 2008 negotiations with CC Sabathia, where a lucrative offer, not extravagant gestures, secured the pitcher. “The truth of the matter is I hit him over the head with a big bunch of cash,” Cashman said. “It wasn’t about any magical aura or presentation; it was the money.”
Reports by The New York Post suggested the Mets’ inclusion of a free suite for Soto’s family helped seal the deal. However, Cashman stated that the Yankees do not include such provisions, even for marquee players like Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, or Carlos Rodon. Past Yankees stars, including Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, also didn’t receive similar perks.
“I don’t think the suite was the determining factor, especially at that financial level,” Cashman said. “We’ve honored our approach in negotiations, and I have no regrets.”
“Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” Cashman added. “If they ever want to be upstairs, they have a choice to be down or up and protected and enjoy it, we have a great family room set up with babysitting. It’s a great, safe setup to take care of families and stuff like that. But obviously, when we have a roster with a lot of great players and high-end players, we’ve gone through a process on previous negotiations where this might have happened, and this is what we did. We’re gonna honor those. So, no regrets there.”
Cashman dismissed the notion that a family-friendly approach could have made a difference, referencing reports that Soto was upset earlier in the season after a Yankees security guard denied a family member and a chef access to a players-only area. He noted that the incident, while resolved quickly, didn’t reach his desk or influence negotiations.
“I never heard about these issues until after he signed,” Cashman said. “If it was such a big deal, I would’ve heard from Scott Boras. None of it came up during discussions.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $45 million higher offer than the Yankees’ 16-year, $760 million proposal likely played the most significant role. Cashman pointed out that, historically, money has been the primary factor in free-agent decisions.
Soto is expected to address the media in Queens on Thursday, but Cashman remains steadfast that the Yankees adhered to their principles. “In the end, it’s almost always about the money,” he said, echoing his approach from past negotiations.
While Soto’s choice stings for Yankees fans, Cashman’s comments highlight the Yankees’ longstanding policies and belief that financial competitiveness, rather than ancillary perks, defines their approach to acquiring top talent.
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