JUST IN: Yankees Cut Ties With $40 Million All-Star to Retain another 25-years old key man
The New York Yankees made a major move this offseason by trading for Juan Soto in a seven-player deal with the San Diego Padres.
Soto is now part of a powerful lineup alongside Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and Giancarlo Stanton. With Soto’s impending free agency after this season, securing his contract will dominate headlines, and the Yankees may need to significantly increase their spending to keep him. According to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, the team might consider letting go of Rizzo to afford Soto.
Soto is expected to demand a record-breaking contract. He already set an arbitration record with a $31 million deal this offseason. Tim Britton of The Athletic has projected that Soto could sign a 14-year, $540 million contract.
Rizzo has been performing well lately, but Kuty notes that “everything this offseason must be viewed through the Soto lens. If the Yankees prioritize reallocating funds from first base to secure Soto, then Rizzo’s future with the team is uncertain.”
Yankees Future at First Base
Rizzo was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in 2021 and has since posted a .238/.333/.431 slash line with 59 home runs.
Last season, he managed a .244 average while dealing with an injury. In 2023, Rizzo was diagnosed with “post-concussion syndrome,” believed to be from a May 28 collision with Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.
This season, Rizzo had a slow start, hitting just .227/.306/.284 with one home run in his first 23 games. However, he has turned it around in his last 20 games, slashing .290/.349/.566 with five home runs.
“For 2025, Rizzo has a $17 million team option with a $6 million buyout. I anticipate that the Yankees might move LeMahieu to first base full-time next season and seek to upgrade at third base during the offseason,” wrote Kuty.
LeMahieu has not yet made his 2024 debut due to a spring training injury. Over his nine seasons, he has made 201 appearances at first base, including 144 starts. LeMahieu has won four Gold Glove Awards, three as a second baseman and one in 2022 as a utility player.
Soto’s Free Agency
The Yankees have the advantage of already having Soto in the Bronx. However, they have not “attempted to even explore what it might take to get an extension done,” according to NJ.com’s Randy Miller.
Soto is a three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. Given his accomplishments and age, there’s a “possibility that his next contract will reach the $500 million threshold,” according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.
To secure Soto, the Yankees will likely need to offer more than the 15-year, $440 million extension he previously turned down from the Washington Nationals, as noted by MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato.
Without an extension, Soto will enter free agency after this season. He aims to sign a long-term deal to “just finish in that one spot,” Gonzalez wrote.
While the Yankees haven’t engaged in extension talks with Soto, he, represented by Scott Boras, is “willing to listen,” according to Miller.
“If they want to talk, they can talk with Scott,” Soto said in March. “It is what it is. For me, like I’ve said, I’m going to play baseball. I’m part of the Yankees right now. I’m not going to worry about it.”