Juan Soto sets free-agency bar high, ties Yankees future to title prospects

Juan Soto, the New York Yankees’ star slugger, has set his priorities for his upcoming free agency at the end of the 2024 season. He emphasized that his primary consideration would be joining a team with strong championship potential. The outfielder stated that being part of an organization consistently in contention for titles, even if not always successful, is crucial to his decision.

“Being in a place where we can win a couple of championships, and even if we don’t, just being in the race every year. I think that’s the biggest thing for me,” Chris Kirschner quoted Juan Soto saying.

While the Yankees have the opportunity to re-sign Juan Soto before he reaches free agency, reports from ESPN’s Buster Olney suggest that there has been “no momentum” in contract discussions between the two parties.

Juan Soto also indicated openness to joining a team willing to build a competitive roster around him. He acknowledged the unpredictability of future team compositions and expressed his desire to be part of a “beautiful team” capable of winning championships.

“I’m telling you, you never know who’s going to come next,” he added. “I’m going to try to build a beautiful team around me to win a championship. At the end of the day, you have to sit down, look at what these teams are offering and make a decision from there.”

According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, several teams are expected to vie for Juan Soto’s services in free agency, including the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Washington Nationals, alongside the Yankees.

Juan Soto’s performance since joining the Yankees in a December 2023 trade with the San Diego Padres has been exceptional. Through 98 games, he has hit 25 home runs and driven in 71 runs, maintaining an impressive .311/.435/.594 slash line. This performance earned him his fourth All-Star selection.

The Yankees’ recent performance could play a role in Juan Soto’s decision. Despite a disappointing 82-80 record in 2023, the team has made the postseason in six of the last seven years and currently holds a 60-42 record in the 2024 season, positioning them as potential contenders.

Juan Soto’s comments highlight the importance of team competitiveness in his future career decisions, setting the stage for what could be an intense bidding war for his services following the 2024 season.

Rodon in awe of Juan Soto’s homer spree vs. Rays

Juan Soto delivered an outstanding performance in the Yankees’ 9-1 victory on Monday afternoon, going 3-for-5 with a double and two home runs. His first homer, a solo shot in the seventh inning, traveled an impressive 424 feet down the right-field line into the upper deck, extending the Yankees’ lead to 6-1. The slugger’s body language at home plate suggested he was willing the ball to stay fair as it sailed near the foul pole, followed by a deliberately slow trot around the bases.

This game marked Juan Soto’s 21st multi-homer performance of his career and his fourth this season. This achievement ties him with Eddie Mathews for the second-most multi-home run games by a major leaguer aged 25 or younger, trailing only Mel Ott’s record of 24.

Carlos Rodon, who pitched seven strong innings of one-run ball, expressed his amazement at Juan Soto’s consistent excellence. Rodon pondered what it must feel like to be Soto, comparing his performance to the ease of high school or college baseball for exceptional players. He acknowledged that while baseball inherently involves ups and downs, Juan Soto’s ability to make the game look effortless is remarkable.

“I don’t know. I was talking about this the other day with someone,” the Yankees pitcher said. “I’m like ‘What? What do you think it feels like to be Juan Soto? Is it like when you’re in high school and you’re getting .450 or when you’re in college and it’s pretty easy, you’re hitting .350 and a bunch of homers?’ I don’t know. … It’s still a challenge, right? He just makes it look easy. Baseball is ups and downs. He has some downs, but he swings the bat so well.”

Juan Soto’s second homer of the game was a three-run line drive in the eighth inning. Rodon noted the contrasting nature of the two home runs, with the first being a high, far shot and the second a low, hard-hit laser. He praised Soto’s versatility as a hitter and his overall prowess as a player.

“The first one was really far. The second one was really hard and low. So, you know, a little treat of both,” Rodon said. “High launch and low launch and just a great great hitter, a great player.”

Juan Soto’s performance, which boosted his OPS to 1.008, continues to impress both teammates and observers, reinforcing his status as one of the game’s elite hitters.

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