By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-31 15:08:03 | Updated at 2024-10-31 17:34:43
2 hours ago
Juan Soto is one of the best players in baseball, with Yankees fans looking at the 26-year-old as the future face of the team with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton turning 33 and 35 respectively next season.
New York's fans fear the same thing when it comes to Soto, who signed a one-year contract with the team after being traded from the Padres last December - he won't be playing in the Bronx next year.
Soto did nothing to calm those worries during his postgame interviews after the Dodgers won the World Series after another Yankees collapse in Wednesday night's decisive Game 5.
'I'm really happy with the city, with the team, how these guys do, but at the end of the day, we will see. We're going to look at every situation, every offer that we get and make a decision from there,' Soto said. 'I don't know what are the teams that want to come after me, but definitely, I'll be open to listen to every single team. I don't have any doors closed or anything like that. So, I'm going to be available to all 30 teams.'
With plenty of expected interest in Soto, Yankees fans are preparing to lose a key piece of the team that led them to their first pennant since 2009.
Juan Soto will be a free agent this offseason after only one year with the New York Yankees
The Yankees are expected to make a competitive offer in a crowded field to retain Soto
'Translation. Highest bidder wins,' one Yankees fan said on social media.
'He's so not happy - no one would be after that series. But the Yankees are a winning team with good financial stability. Let's hope he stays.'
'All 30 teams are open to negotiate. Very good offer. A winning team. Leaving friends not an issue…Top Candidates are 1. Dodgers 2. Mets 3. Phillies 4. Padres 5. Orioles…Yankees can be outbid. Will be in rebuilding phase & not a winning team.'
'Soto doesn’t seem to happy at all. I hope he comes back to the Yankees, I really do! Pay this man whatever he wants! He deserves it. Whatever you do Soto, please do not go to LA.'
A collection of social-media posts about Yankees' star Juan Soto's impending free agency
Soto will be in line for a huge payday no matter where he ends up, with the Yankees thought to be competitive in making him an offer.
Yet, many other teams will open their pocketbooks to make way for one of the best players in the sport.
Soto rose to fame with the Nationals and won a World Series with the team in 2019 before being traded to the Padres in 2022.
While his value has decreased a little since the Herschel Walker-style trade, Soto's next move will be one of the main storylines of baseball's offseason.
