If this had been simply the million greenback query, Hal Steinbrenner can be thrilled.
The $500 million query? $600 million? $700 million? What’s Steve Cohen’s web value once more?
The Yankees have lots of inquiries to reply this offseason, however the largest would be the largest in sports activities. After the World Sequence heartbreaker in Wednesday’s decisive Recreation 5, Juan Soto — arguably the very best pure hitter within the sport and 26 years outdated — declared itself open to all applicants.
The Yankees, who mortgaged a good portion of their future to retain his rights for one season, will do the whole lot they will to maintain Soto within the Bronx for the remainder of his profession.
However Soto, on a transparent trajectory for a Corridor of Famer who will hit the open market at an unusually younger age and who has confirmed himself on that market in October as nicely, is a Scott Boras shopper who appears like he’ll go to the very best bidder .
Will Steinbrenner merely outbid each different provide? Mets and Cohen’s pockets loom broad open. The Blue Jays are a wild card, the Dodgers are concerned with each megastar, and actually each crew in baseball ought to attempt to discover a participant and a showman.
“I do not know … the groups which can be going to pursue me,” Soto stated after being the last Yankee in the dugout watching the Dodgers celebrate. “I’ll undoubtedly be open to [the Mets] and each single crew. I’ve no closed doorways. I might be accessible for all 30 groups.”
There is a predictable path by which the Yankees hold Soto and encompass the large spending with minor strikes, and there is a predictable path by which the Yankees blink, lose Soto, and unfold that cash round on a slew of different signings.
Which highway the Yankees journey will rely upon how they reply different offseason questions, reminiscent of:
How about Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo?
There is a good likelihood the Yankees will exchange half their infield, with solely Anthony Volpe (at shortstop) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (second or third base) anticipated to return.
Torres, who will flip 28 in December, will make a compelling case at no cost company.
The second baseman is a two-time All-Star who hasn’t returned to his 2019 highs, however has established himself as a quintessential above-average hitter with baffling protection, a glove that may amaze and disappoint in the identical sport .
After a depressing begin to his 2024, Torres completed robust and registered a .348 on-base proportion in 14 postseason video games because the Yankees’ leadoff hitter.
It is onerous to think about Torres and Soto staying.
Rizzo, 35, can primarily be introduced again for $11 million, with a $17 million membership choice and a $6 million buyout. The slumping first baseman, who nonetheless believes he has extra left within the tank, is unlikely, however not inconceivable, to return to a membership the place he’s near Aaron Decide.
Rizzo addressed the media greater than an hour after Wednesday’s loss in his full uniform.
“I do not need to take this down,” he stated.
The Yankees do not have strong in-house replacements for Torres or Rizzo. DJ LeMahieu is owed $30 million over the subsequent two seasons, whereas John Berti, Oswald Peraza and Ben Rice can all chip in.
With losses on the horizon, it is onerous to think about the 2025 offense being higher than the 2024 model, Soto’s return doubtless limiting different attainable upgrades. Until the Yankees’ youth make leaps and bounds, which begs the query:
Does Jason Dominguez see himself as an on a regular basis outfielder subsequent season?
If the domino that’s Soto returns, the Yankees will doubtless look to cost-effective prospects like Dominguez to fill the remaining holes.
If Soto leaves, the Yankees’ backup plan might embrace Teoscar Hernandez or Anthony Santander.
Dominguez endured an injury-riddled 2024 by which Tommy John surgical procedure sidelined him till mid-Might and he was constructing within the minors till an indirect pressure knocked him out for about six weeks.
“The Martian” performed simply 58 minor league video games, lastly getting his likelihood on the massive leagues within the second week of September and he did not miss it, Alex Verdugo outdueling Dominguez to earn the postseason begins. Verdugo is a free agent who stated he liked his time within the Bronx.
There are numerous questions surrounding the Yankees’ lineup. There’s a important one within the rotation.
Will Gerrit Cole hand over?
In all probability, however he nonetheless in all probability will not hit the open market.
The ace can decide out of the remaining 4 years and $144 million on his present deal, however then the Yankees can forestall him from changing into a free agent by choosing up a fifth yr in 2029, valued at $36 million.
Cole triggering waivers and the membership triggering the additional season is the most probably final result right here.
Cole could not benefit from the chance to decide out if he suffers a extra severe damage, however he has recovered from elbow issues that delayed his season debut till June.
If he wasn’t fairly a standard postseason workhorse, he was glorious and survived 6 ²/₃ innings and 108 pitches on Wednesday, when his solely error – not covering first base on a ground ball — resulted in five unearned runs.
