The New York Yankees are focused on the upcoming American League Division Series, but the Juan Soto sweepstakes are still in the back of everyone's minds.
How the Yankees perform in the playoffs will likely play a hand in the negotiations for Soto this offseason, and it's been widely reported that the New York Mets will be the biggest threats to sign the 25-year-old superstar.
In his predictions of where Soto and other big names on the market will land this winter, Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report predicted the Mets will steal Soto away on "an offer too good to turn down."
"While Soto has had a great time with the Yankees and has had the best season of his career, he has turned down a huge contract extension from Washington in the past in pursuit of even more money," Beaston wrote. "If he thinks he can get it from the Mets, or any other team, he will leave the Yankees in the rear-view mirror."
The Yankees will have plenty of competition from Steve Cohen and the Mets as they look to advance to the National League Division Series in a game Thursday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Winning a World Series would go a long way for the Yankees' chances of re-signing Soto, potentially even to the extent of being outbid by the Mets.
Soto's importance to the Yankees cannot be understated, and the fanbase would go wild if their superstar slugger made the switch to Queens.
Soto put together arguably the best year of his career with the Yankees in 2024. He hit .288 with 41 home runs, 109 RBI and a .989 OPS.
