It was definitely a great first appearance in Yankees uniform for the new player. Yankees Juan Soto, a top player, had a good start with the Yankees by performing well in the game and making a crucial play to secure the team's victory.
The The Yankees picked up Soto. The Yankees traded for Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham in December, giving up a group of young players and catchers to San Diego. Padres San Diego made the trade because they couldn't afford to keep Soto, who had rejected a huge contract offer from Washington.
The Padres traded Soto for the same reason they had traded him over a year earlier. Nationals The Padres traded him more than a year earlier for the same reason—because he would prove to be too expensive to keep.
The Yankees are likely to try very hard to keep Soto and are expected to compete with other teams for him when he becomes a free agent next year.
It is believed that Soto would be a great fit for the Yankees.
In a piece about Soto's move to New York, ESPN's Alden Gonzalez pointed out that Soto's future with the Yankees will depend on how well he fits in with the team. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez mentioned an agreement between Soto and the Yankees could depend on how well he fits in with the team. The Yankees have no intention of letting Soto leave and are expected to put in a lot of effort to bring him back.
ESPN's Alden Gonzalez wrote that the Yankees are likely to be very active in their attempts to re-sign Soto, even if it means offering him a higher contract than their captain, Judge, received.
The outcome of 2024 could have a significant impact.
There are certainly high hopes for the Yankees' lineup with Soto, Judge, Stanton, and Rizzo forming the heart of their offense.
Soto will play a crucial role as a power hitter and as the second batter in the lineup. In his seven seasons, Soto has hit 160 home runs and a career-high of 35 last year. He led the league in walks for three consecutive seasons.Soto has hit 160 home runs in seven seasons and hit a career-best of 35 last year. He also led the league in walks for three straight seasons.
The Yankees are not expecting to extend Soto's contract before he becomes a free agent.
Soto, who is 25 years old, is considered an excellent match for the team. It's possible that the Yankees could sign Soto to an extension before he becomes a free agent, but his agent prefers him to enter free agency to increase the competition for his services.
If the Yankees want to keep Soto after this year, they will have to win the competition next winter. Spotrac predicts Soto to receive a 12-year, $408 million contract, while The Athletic projects a 14-year, $540 million deal for him. Spotrac estimates Soto would get a 12-year, $408 million contract, and The Athletic believes he could secure a 14-year, $540 million agreement. The Athletic forecasts him receiving a 14-year, $540 million deal. The Athletic predicts him securing a 14-year, $540 million deal.
The general manager of the Yankees acknowledged that it is likely that Soto will be with the team for only one year before entering free agency. Brian Cashman spoke to MLB Network in February. He said, "That could change, I suppose, but it's highly unlikely. He's very close to becoming a free agent. I don't see many obstacles preventing him from reaching free agency.
"So we're just hoping that we can all perform exceptionally well together this year, and he can achieve the numbers he's capable of achieving with the group of players we'll have around him. Let's see if we can all have a great time and then have a discussion afterwards."