With Juan Soto now a Met, the Yankees are eyeing top free agents to fill key roster gaps this offseason
DALLAS: So, the Yankees just lost out on Juan Soto, who signed with the Mets for a jaw-dropping $765 million over 15 years. Ouch! Now, the Yankees have a hefty chunk of cash to spend on other free agents.
They’re looking at big names like Alex Bregman, Max Fried, and Pete Alonso. The Winter Meetings are buzzing, and the Yankees are ready to make some moves.
They offered Soto a massive 14-year deal worth $760 million, but it wasn’t enough. Now, they need to fill several positions, including first and second base, and even a closer.
To add to the drama, their former closer, Clay Holmes, just signed with the Mets for three years at $38 million. Talk about a shake-up!
Yankees GM Brian Cashman didn’t drop any names, but he’s eager to make deals. He mentioned they have “big money guys” and want to surround them with quality players, whether through trades or spending more cash.
Even without Soto, the Yankees are still committed to a luxury tax payroll of $199.1 million for just nine players. That’s a lot of dough!
Top earners include Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and Giancarlo Stanton. Meanwhile, the Mets are spending even more, with Soto’s contract leading the pack.
With Soto and Holmes gone, the Yankees are also likely to part ways with Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres. They’re in a bit of a rebuild mode.
Agent Scott Boras is having a great offseason, representing Bregman and Alonso, among others. The Yankees have chatted with him, but nothing’s set in stone yet.
Interestingly, Soto’s deal is now the biggest in MLB history, surpassing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract. Soto’s annual average is $51 million, but it could rise to $55 million later on.
Cashman noted that the money involved is mind-boggling, especially with so many teams in the mix. The Yankees knew they were taking a risk when they traded for Soto, but he definitely made an impact during his time with them.
In the end, Cashman expressed disappointment about falling short in the World Series but is ready to regroup and keep pushing for success.