The New York Yankees have had their meeting with Juan Soto, as the superstar outfielder hosts discussions with teams interested in signing him for MLB free agency. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the meeting went “very well.”
“Yankees Soto meeting went ‘very well’ (late word),” Heyman shared in a post on *X* on November 19, 2024. “But reality is: deep-pocketed, all-in Mets and champion Dodgers (now on deck for meet-up) have serious chances, and at least Jays and Red Sox are in play, too.”
Soto has also met with other contenders such as the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. The Yankees’ meeting with Soto in Southern California was scheduled for November 18, according to Heyman.
“Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner was due to lead a contingent of high-ranking club personnel, including general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone, to meet with superstar free agent hitter Juan Soto late Monday afternoon in Southern California,” Heyman wrote in a message on November 18, 2024, titled, “Yankees brass meets with Juan Soto as Dodgers expected to enter the fray.”
Soto’s potential contract will likely exceed $600 million, with some reports suggesting it could even reach closer to $700 million. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Soto could land the largest deal in baseball history.
“If the money level was not clear at the beginning of the winter, it is now: Because of his age, Soto is going to warrant perhaps the longest contract in baseball history — Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 14-year, $340 million deal holds the record — and an expected guarantee in excess of $600 million,” Passan explained in his November 12 article titled, “Jeff Passan’s 2024-25 MLB offseason preview, intel, updates.”
While the Yankees face stiff competition from the Mets, Red Sox, and Dodgers, they still have reasons to be optimistic. Heyman noted that the Yankees are not far behind the Dodgers, with Soto appearing to have enjoyed his time in The Bronx, despite the Yankees’ World Series loss to the Dodgers.
“Soto cited winning as a major factor in his upcoming decision in an interview following the Yankees’ Game 5 World Series defeat. He’s reached the World Series twice (winning in 2019 with the Nats). But multiple executives with interested teams are assuming that, like with most free agents, the actual deal will be the largest consideration. Assuming that’s the case, the Yankees don’t necessarily have an easy road there, either.”
It is clear that if the Yankees want to keep Soto, they must be ready to make a significant financial commitment. Heyman reported that all the meetings so far have been preliminary, and no team has yet made a formal offer to Soto.
