It’s safe to say that Juan Soto has more than lived up to the hype surrounding him following his blockbuster move to the New York Yankees. The superstar outfielder made his way to the Bronx Bombers in a trade from the San Diego Padres this offseason. The deal gave the Yankees one of the most potent one-two punches in baseball, thanks to both Soto and former MVP Aaron Judge.
Juan Soto has been a dynamic player throughout his MLB career but seemingly has an extra jump in his step this season. The 25-year-old has emerged as an American League MVP candidate, thanks to his incredible skills at the plate. His acquisition has helped the Yankees remain atop the AL East Division with a 48-21 record.
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“Check out the full quote!” – @FoulTerritoryTV
According to his own teammate Tommy Kahnle, Soto might love playing in New York as much as the fans love to have him on the roster.
“It seems like he really likes it here,” Kahnle said on a recent episode of Foul Territory. “It looks like he’s having fun,” he added about Soto’s attitude in the clubhouse.
Soto has made a name for himself due to his elite abilities on the field and his playful personality off of it. If Kahnle’s perception of Soto is correct, it could benefit the Yankees come free agency time.
Tommy Kahnle hopes Juan Soto will remain with the New York Yankees next season
It will be an interesting offseason for the New York Yankees as Juan Soto is slated for unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career. The superstar outfielder will enter unrestricted free agency before hitting his athletic prime, which could lead him to command one of the richest contracts in baseball history.
This past offseason Shohei Ohtani shattered the previous record for the richest deal in the MLB. The two-way Japanese superstar inked a heavily-deferred 10-year, $700,000,000 deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, becoming the richest contract in North American sports history.
“Juan Soto turned down a 15-year, $440,000,000 contract and maybe that wasn’t as stupid as it sounds” – @CodifyBaseball
Although Soto might not reach that level, there is a legitimate shot that Juan Soto’s next contract could reach upwards of $500,000,000. This deal could very well come from a different team other than the New York Yankees, making this offseason one to pay attention to.
