Juan Soto Addresses Yankees Contract Extension Talks

The New York Yankees have had a busy week. The front staff and ownership were in Los Angeles on Monday for a face-to-face meeting with Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Yankees formally unveiled their main offensive addition, Juan Soto, on Tuesday. In a seven-player deal with the San Diego Padres last week, Soto became a member of New York.

Juan Soto Addresses Yankees Contract Extension Talks

With one year remaining on his deal before entering free agency, Soto was dealt to the Yankees last week. On Tuesday, he gave his first news conference via Zoom, and soon after, he was asked if he would be willing to sign an extension.

“My priorities right now are just getting to know the team, getting to know the guys,” Soto said, logged in under the Zoom name “22,” the number he is keeping with the Yankees. “Going to New York, going to Tampa [the spring training complex], whenever I’m going to meet those guys and try to get a good relationship and really stick together, get to know those guys. Try to get the same goal on Day 1. That’s what my main thing is right now.

“About any contract stuff, they know where to call and who to talk to. I’m here just to play baseball and try to keep concentrating on playing baseball.”

Soto said that a number of his new colleagues, including AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole and Yankees captain Aaron Judge, had already contacted him to wish him a happy new year. “Playing with Judge will be a lot of fun. Sharing the field with him excites me beyond words, Soto remarked.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Soto said. “I’m going to be more than excited to share the field with him. He seems like a great guy. He was one of the guys that reached out to me when I got traded. … It’s going to be really fun to see him play, hitting and playing the outfield. Try to pick his mind when I’m there and try to enjoy the moment while I’m there.”

Despite being just 25 years old, Soto had a career-high 35 home runs and a batting line of.275/.410/.519 in the previous season. After the next season, Soto will naturally become a free agent. As a client of Scott Boras, it is anticipated that he would turn down any offers of an extension and look to test the open market. Two years ago, the Washington Nationals offered him a $440 million deal, which he turned down.

“I’ve been doing it for six years now,” Soto said about the pressure of playing for a contract. “It’s not going to be that hard because I have one of the best agents in the league. I put everything on him and let him do his magic. My mindset is to just come here and play baseball and try to win a championship.”

The Yankees signed Trent Grisham and Alex Verdugo last week in addition to Soto. It’s no accident that all three of them are left-handed batters with high contact rates. Over the last several years, the Yankees have deployed a lineup that has an excessive number of righties and swing and miss. A key component of their offensive redesign is Soto.

In 2023, the Yankees finished 82-80 and were not in the postseason. Since 1992, it was their poorest record. New York’s desperate attempt to make the playoffs again in 2024 is evident by the trade of five prospects for one season of Soto and the full court pressure applied on Yamamoto.

How many career hits does Juan Soto have?

Stats
GP AB H
52 182 43
162 568 156
779 2704 768
111 386 110

Is Juan Soto a Hall of Famer?

Juan Soto, a star with the San Diego Padres, ascended to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.

Has Juan Soto hit a Grand Slam?

Following his eighth-inning grand slam, his teammates showered him with beer, Gatorade, and other clubhouse beverages in a postgame celebration. After taking a shower, getting dressed, and packing, Soto grinned and greeted the media.

 

 

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