The New York Yankees badly want to re-sign star outfielder Juan Soto before he hits free agency in the winter and to make sure they do, a team insider believes they could release a key position player to boost the pot of money they throw at Soto.
Heading into the MLB games today, the Yankees are the top team in the American League East and have the second-best overall record (30-15) in the MLB standings. It is an impressive start for a team that hasn’t had ace Gerrit Cole all season, and 2022 AL MVP Aaron Judge has been in a slump to start the year. But it shows the power of Juan Soto.
- Juan Soto projected contract: 10 years, $500 million
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The offseason addition is off to a fantastic start to the 2024 season. He leads the team in runs-batted-in (34), runs (30), average, on-base percentage, and is second in home runs (nine) and total bases (89). The impending free agent is having an MVP-level season just in time for a jump into the open market later this year. Which is something that worries the organization.
That is why it was reported this week that the Yankees are planning to reengage him and his representation in contract talks during the season. Recent reports have suggested Soto could be looking for as much as $500 million over the life of the deal or $50 million per season. New York can afford any player but they are still a business and they may make a surprising move to cut costs to balance the massive money they could fork over to Soto.
New York Yankees could cut Anthony Rizzo and funnel his money toward new Juan Soto contract
In a new Q&A, The Athletic New York Yankees reporter Brendan Kuty was asked about Anthony Rizzo’s future after this season. He has a team option for $17 million in 2025 and he has been rock-solid for them again this year. However, Kuty believes Rizzo could be a casualty of an impending Juan Soto contract.
“If Rizzo continues to hit it’s totally possible the Yankees would look to pick up his option,” Kuty wrote. “He’ll play next season at age 35 — a year younger than [DJ] LeMahieu. But everything this offseason needs to be seen through the lens of Soto. If the Yankees think saving money at first base and shifting it to Soto is a bigger priority, then all bets are off.”
- Juan Soto stats (2024): .302AVG, .403 OBP, .517 SLG, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 30 R
Rizzo’s contract comes with a $6 million buyout for next season. Kuty believes the organization could move LeMahieu over to first base next season if they chose to move on from Rizzo after the season.