The New York Yankees are facing a virtual must-win game tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers as the World Series heads to the Bronx.
Manager Aaron Boone blew Game 1 for the Bombers as his inexplicable pitching decisions came back to haunt the team.
A severe hangover effect was evident in Game 2 as the Dodgers took full advantage and coasted to a 2-0 series lead.
Although he’s struggling in the outfield this series, one player the Yankees know they can count on at the plate is 5-tool slugger Juan Soto.
Soto has proven throughout his career that no moment is too big for him. Unlike Aaron Judge, Soto has embraced pressure situations and has thrived in them.
In other words, Soto is a perfect Yankee.
Soto’s contract expires at the end of this season. While most people expect him to reach a long-term agreement to stay in pinstripes, there will undoubtedly be other clubs interested in pursuing him.
There’s already a ton of pressure on owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman to not “cheap out” in the Soto-sweepstakes.
While Soto’s asking price won’t enter Shohei Ohtani territory, it’s safe to say that it will take quite a pretty penny to secure his services.
It’s been long assumed that the rival New York Mets will be heavily in on Soto. While they would surely love to have him, the Mets know they will at the very least drive up the price for the Yankees.
However, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Dodgers are expected to be serious contenders for Soto as well. And as they’ve proven, unlike most teams, when the Dodgers really want someone, there is virtually no financial obstacle that will stop them.
Heyman hints that the Dodgers will be all-in on Soto, just as long as “he’s interested” in them.
In other words, Los Angeles isn’t going to allow themselves to be used as a bargaining chip. They want to make sure Soto is genuinely interested in them before they send the blitz.
Known for their relentless pursuit of top-tier talent, the Dodgers are no strangers to aggressive offseason moves.
Just last winter, they made major splashes by signing Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Led by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers have consistently shown a willingness to go after marquee names, with recent acquisitions that include Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
Now, they may join a potential bidding war with teams like the Yankees and the Mets, both of whom are widely considered front-runners in the race for Soto.
Other teams linked to the 26-year-old outfielder include the Washington Nationals, Soto’s former team, and the Toronto Blue Jays, though the latter two have yet to signal if they’ll make a competitive push.
Again, Soto surely won’t come cheap. His agent, the infamous Scott Boras, will certainly make sure of that.
Boras recently commented on Soto’s journey to free agency, telling USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “The story of how he got to free agency is remarkable. A young Dominican kid who had to go through all of the [challenges] to get to free agency. It’s just a testament to his intellect, turning down $100 million, $200 million, $300 million, $400 million offers.”
Soto’s performance this season only further underscores his value.
Batting .288 with a .419 on-base percentage and a .569 slugging percentage, Soto recorded 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and seven stolen bases, earning an OPS+ of 178 and accumulating an impressive 7.9 Wins Above Replacement.
Just as important, he’s shown the ability to raise his performance on the biggest stage when the lights are brightest. (Something that Judge has not been able to do.)
Of course, the sole focus in Yankeeland is on Game 3 of the World Series tonight.
The last thing anyone wants to think about is Soto’s free agency outlook. However, the fact that the Yankees are battling the Dodgers on baseball’s biggest stage certainly adds spice to the whole story.
What are your thoughts on Heyman’s report that the Dodgers could swoop in and pluck Soto away from the Yankees after the season???
