As much as Juan Soto enjoyed his one season with the New York Yankees, there's no sign he will give the club any kind of discount in free agency as he and agent Scott Boras prepare to meet with all serious would-be buyers.
New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
During the latest edition of the New York Post's "The Show" podcast, Yankees closer Luke Weaver offered a plea to team owner Hal Steinbrenner regarding Soto's future.
"He means a lot to me as a teammate and as a player," Weaver said about Soto, as shared by Jimmy Hascup of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "And boy, oh boy. I mean, I think it’s (an) infinity amount that you can give this man, and he would be worth every penny. So I really hope they can get it done."
Similar to a majority of Yankees fans, Weaver may feel a bit nervous about the fact that Steinbrenner said this past spring that the team's payroll as it existed at the time was "not sustainable" long-term due to luxury-tax penalties. Steinbrenner made that comment before Soto finished a career season en route to helping the Yankees reach the World Series, where the Bronx Bombers fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While the New York Mets have repeatedly been named the favorites among the clubs that could steal Soto away from the Yankees this fall, the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox are expected to give the 26-year-old plenty to think about. Varying reports have said Soto could sign a deal of around 13-15 years worth in the range of $600M-$700M.
Weaver understandably seems less-than-pleased about the idea of Soto either joining a division rival or playing home games in Queens rather than in the Bronx.
"He‘s the best guy," Weaver added about Soto. "He’s a humble superstar. He has all the attributes you want, obviously, on the baseball field and as a human being in the clubhouse. I have nothing but amazing things to say about him. We formed a great relationship."
Soto may cherish the relationships he formed with Yankees players in 2024, but he's ready to get paid via what will be a historic deal. It remains to be seen how he will react if Steinbrenner gets outbid by an owner such as the Mets' Steve Cohen over the next few weeks.
