Juan Soto Met With Yankees Owner Hal Steinbrenner in July

The Yankees' young superstar had a private meeting with the team owner during the summer.

Sep 25, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on a two run home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

One of the New York Yankees' major goals of the 2024 season is to keep superstar outfielder Juan Soto in pinstripes.

So far, the 25-year-old seems to be enjoying his time in the Bronx. While he is smartly waiting to officially become a free agent to get the biggest contract possible, Soto has formed a strong bond with his new teammates and endeared himself to the fanbase; he is additionally enjoying the best season of his young but already brilliant career with a .288/.418/.571 slash line, 108 RBI, and personal bests of 41 home runs and 8.0 fWAR.

Based on these factors, the Yankees should like their chances of signing Soto in the offseason. However, a report from The Athletic's Brendan Kuty provided another factor that could be the most important of all.

According to Kuty, Soto privately met with the Yankees' owner, Hal Steinbrenner, back in July. The meeting, which was unreported during the summer, has very scant details; both Soto and Steinbrenner have declined to go into specifics, while Soto's agent, Scott Boras, wouldn't immediately respond to a message seeking his input.

"According to a person with knowledge of the conversation, much of the talk was focused on Soto’s experience so far with the Yankees," Kuty wrote. "How has he enjoyed his time with the team? What could the Yankees do to enhance the experience of playing for them from the standpoint of a player new to the team?"

Exclusive details on when Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner met privately with star Juan Soto in July.

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— Brendan Kuty 🧟‍♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) September 27, 2024

Despite not going into specific detail, the 25-year-old stated that his interactions with the 54-year-old Steinbrenner were pleasant.

"It was good to get to know the owner," Soto told The Athletic. "Get to see what he’s thinking about me and everything, see how we're doing, what we have in mind, this and that. It's great to have an owner that really cares for his players."

This crucial development should greatly help the Yankees when bidding for Soto. They already have a major advantage from a financial standpoint; due to the Bronx Bombers being the most valuable MLB franchise by a considerable margin, they can exceed any offer from opposing teams. But if they choose to match an opposing offer, Soto's familiarity with the organization should give the Yankees the advantage.

With Steinbrenner leaving a good impression on Soto, the Yankees should like their chances for keeping their young superstar long-term.