Juan Soto of the Yankees is expected to sign a $500 million contract, according to MLB insiders
Originally posted on ClutchPoints by Christopher Smith. Last updated: 6/11/24.
The New York Yankees have made a solid start to the 2024 Major League Baseball season. New York leads the AL East after 68 games. Former San Diego Padres standout Juan Soto has had a significant impact on the team’s success. As a result, he might sign a lucrative contract during the summer free agency period.
A group of MLB Insiders gathered to forecast Soto’s financial potential. According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, their responses indicate that the star first baseman will receive almost $500 million over the next several years.
The average of all forecasts is an 11.6-year deal worth $482.2 million, with an average annual value of $41.4 million (AAV). The median prediction of the deals is 13 years and $500 million, which is consistent with the industry consensus on Soto’s contract
Juan Soto is expected to earn a large salary, but will the Yankees provide him with it?
McDaniel believes New York has a good chance of keeping Soto, given the number of suitors vying for his services.
“It’s still early, of course, but the Yankees and Mets were by far the most often mentioned teams when debating probable outcomes with our panel of baseball insiders. Beyond them, the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays were all named several times, but everyone else is viewed as secondary to the New York clubs at this juncture,” McDaniel stated.
New York must weigh the contracts of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Dominguez when bargaining with Soto. The Yankees already have a huge payroll, but Soto’s importance on the team cannot be overlooked
How far can Juan Soto take the Yankees amidst contract rumors?
On December 6th, the Padres sent Soto and OF Trent Grisham to New York in exchange for RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHP Jhony Brito, RHP Randy Vasquez, and RHP Drew Thorpe. The blockbuster deal gave Soto a fresh start on a squad with lofty goals, and he hasn’t disappointed.
Juan Soto has been extremely productive during his debut year in the Bronx. Through 65 games, the 25-year-old has a.318 batting average, 17 home runs, 53 RBI, and a 1.024 OPS. Each of the statistics mentioned above is ranked in the top six or higher in the MLB. He has helped New York’s attack develop into one of the best in the AL East.
Analysts believed that Soto would be a game changer for the Yankees, given his recent performance with the Padres. In 2023, the left-hander batted.275 with 35 home runs, 109 RBI, and an OPS of.930. The last two of his statistics were in the top ten in the league. In addition, Soto shown durability after playing a career-high 162 games.
Hopefully, the talented first baseman can continue his rise and lead New York to a lengthy playoff run. The Yankees ended the 2023 season with an 82–80 record. As a result, they missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.
However, with Soto and the rest of the club’s contributors, there is a strong chance fans will be satisfied in the fall of 2024. Can Juan Soto keep his foot on the gas amidst contract rumors?
