Yankees can’t afford to ignore the flip side of Juan Soto trade

Former hitting coach Sean Casey believes the Yankees should try to get Padres star outfielder Juan Soto. There have been rumors lately that the Padres might trade the superstar following their financial considerations. Reports indicate the Yankees had talked to the Padres to gauge their interest in dealing with him and what they would want in return.

Adding Juan Soto would give the Yankees an amazing 1-2 lineup combo alongside Aaron Judge. Juan Soto is only 25 and hits left-handed. He wants to play on the East Coast again. This past season with the Padres, Juan Soto batted .297 with 35 homers, 97 runs, and 109 RBIs. He could be a tremendous acquisition for the Yankees offense.

Even though Juan Soto is an incredible talent and an enticing trade option, going after him could also carry significant risks for the Yankees. There are some reasons why the New York Yankees may decide not to make a blockbuster deal to acquire the star slugger.

Yankees will get Juan Soto for a year only

As a Scott Boras client who is one of the best in major league baseball, Juan Soto is in line for a record-setting contract. He already turned down a reported $440 million extension from the Washington Nationals last year. If he passed on that level of money, why would he accept a similar deal so close to free agency? Many teams will bid for him then, driving his price even higher.

No matter the player, there exists some dollar amount that would entice them to sign a contract extension. However, for an elite talent like Juan Soto, sealing a deal would likely necessitate a sizable overpay. It could be a commitment of $500 million at minimum, and realistically it may take an offer approaching $600 million to lock him up when free agency looms just one year out. With his open market arrival so near, it will take an exorbitant proposal to convince Juan Soto to forego testing those waters. Only a dramatic overspend seems capable of swaying him from reaching for a potentially record-shattering payday next offseason.

Juan Soto trade will be a costly affair for Yankees

At a minimum, the Padres would likely demand Drew Thorpe and Spencer Jones as a starting point for negotiations. Anything less than that, won’t let Brian Cashman start a negotiation.

Additionally, they would also probably demand Jasson Dominguez or Anthony Volpe. Others in AJ Preller’s shoes, at the bare minimum, would demand two of the following three players: Dominguez, Volpe, or Oswald Peraza.

The problem for the Yankees is that this instantly creates two holes for the team. They are currently relying on Dominguez to be their center fielder or left fielder of the future, Volpe to be their shortstop of the future, and potentially for Peraza to be the third baseman of the future.

The Yankees are also pinning their hopes on Spencer Jones becoming a key contributor in the outfield in the coming years. Jones’s role would become even more critical for their future if Dominguez ends up being part of a trade.

In the end, if San Diego insists on acquiring both of these young outfielders and remains inflexible in their demands, Cashman might find it wiser to end the call and wait for the next offseason to sign Juan Soto through free agency.

Juan Soto won’t be the panacea for Yankees’ ills

The Yankees currently have several positions that need filling, and they’re counting on rookies and second-year players to step in. These young talents will need time to grow and may not make a significant impact this season, making it unlikely for the Yankees to be strong contenders.

Considering this, it doesn’t make much sense to trade valuable assets that could be crucial for the future success of the Yankees, all for just one additional year with Juan Soto, especially when this season doesn’t carry high expectations for success.

Padres may force the Yankees to pay a price

Even though Juan Soto is likely to be with the team for just one year, he remains one of the finest players in all of baseball. In fact, he could easily be ranked among the top five players in the league.

The Padres maintain some leverage in this situation because they can trade Juan Soto at the deadline if they believe they can’t or don’t want to re-sign him. This means they don’t have to rush into a deal they think undervalues their star player.

Similarly, the Yankees hold significant leverage thanks to their financial resources and Juan Soto’s impending free agency, and they should not feel compelled to make an excessive trade for him. This could be a situation where an agreement is difficult to reach because both teams have enough bargaining power to stand their ground.

While Juan Soto would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to the future Yankees team, that future doesn’t commence in the upcoming season. Many of the assets the Yankees might need to trade for Juan Soto are the very players they are depending on to address other positions in their upcoming strong roster.

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