MLB Insider Hypes Up Yankees’ Chances of Landing Juan Soto With Decision Looming

Jon Heyman thinks the Yankees have a great shot to re-sign Soto.
Soto his .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs during the 2024 season.
Soto his .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs during the 2024 season. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees have improved their position in the chase to lock up Juan Soto long-term.

On Wednesday, MLB insider Jon Heyman claims he feels better about the Yankees' chances to re-sign Soto than he has before. He added that Soto loved the Yankees' clubhouse and that the two sides recently had a good meeting.

The consensus around baseball is that the Soto sweepstakes have come down to a battle between four teams. The Yankees are dueling with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox to land the 26-year-old slugger.

Soto is the biggest prize of the offseason. He is a four-time All-Star, and three-time All-MLB first-teamer, has won five consecutive Silver Slugger Awards, and helped the Washington Nationals with a World Series in 2019.

After the San Diego Padres traded him to the Yankees before the 2024 season, Soto turned in a brilliant campaign. He hit .288 with an on-base percentage of .419 while slugging .569. His .989 OPS ranked third in baseball. He had 41 home runs, 109 RBIs and 129 walks against 119 strikeouts. He also set a career-high by posting 7.9 WAR.

Soto's free agency isn't expected to last much longer. Reports suggest a resolution could come as soon as next week's Winter Meetings.


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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.