Could the Yankees reunite with a former top prospect?
While the New York Yankees are focused on returning to the postseason in 2024, questions about 2025 and beyond linger. The biggest one of all involves outfielder Juan Soto, who is expected to become a free agent at the end of this season.
Can the Yankees re-sign the 25-year-old superstar to a long-term deal? With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer gave “way too early” free agent predictions for 10 players. His prediction for Soto is he’ll re-sign with the Bombers to the tune of 15 years and $520 million.
“Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner may not have helped his cause by whining about “unsustainable” payrolls in May, but there should already be money earmarked for Soto,” he said. “Given how much the team has coming off its books this winter, it might even be possible to sign him and not have to subsequently live with a skyrocketed payroll.”
Only Shohei Ohtani has signed a $500-plus million deal. His 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers is worth $700 million. But thanks to a historic amount of deferrals, the present-day value of Ohtani’s deal is about $460 million. Depending on how Soto’s future contract is structured, a $500 million deal could give him the richest present-day value contract in MLB history.
