TAMPA, Fla.– In the New York Yankees’ spring training clubhouse, stars get the prime property. On the left side, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are separated by a wall and empty lockers to each side of them, providing a lot of area to extend in their black leather rolling chairs. Aaron Judge’s locker remains in the back ideal corner– closest to the exit that causes the batting cages. On the other end is Giancarlo Stanton’s locker, which is closest to the door to the corridor.
Beside Stanton is Juan Soto’s locker, where his brand-new colleagues had actually currently begun to collect to choose his brain on his very first main day with the Yankees as position gamers reported to camp Monday early morning. It’s an area the Yankees hope the 25-year-old inhabits up until he’s 35, and possibly even longer.
Since no matter how the season chooses the Yankees, it’s a near lock they’ll attempt to secure Soto long term as soon as he ends up being a totally free representative in November. They might even make overtures towards him throughout the routine season, though barely anybody utilized by the group thinks his representative, Scott Boras, will seriously amuse the concept of an agreement extension. Soto, who rejected $440 million from the Washington Nationals in 2022, is anticipated to get far more than that next winter season.
In his very first press conference with the group, Soto didn’t dismiss the concept of remaining in the Bronx for excellent.
“We got ta be familiar with the Yankees company and the city and how it is playing in New York, to see and decide there,” he stated.
Juan Soto is using a t-shirt that states Juan Soto. pic.twitter.com/uTpGIQqQZT
— Brendan Kuty ♂ (@BrendanKutyNJ) February 19, 2024
Here are our 3 greatest takeaways from Soto’s very first day in pinstripes.
Extension talk
Soto stated he’s going to leave all agreement speak with Boras, who has a track record for getting the most cash possible for his customers. (Four of Boras’ high-end customers, consisting of Blake Snell, still have not signed with clubs in choices that appear targeted at drawing out as much dough as they can from groups.)
Supervisor Aaron Boone stated he would not prevent discussing a long-lasting handle Soto if the topic showed up. He stated he would deal with those talks “truthfully” with the Dominican Republic-born slugger. Boone stated he didn’t discuss an extension much with Judge throughout his free-agent walk year in 2022, though often the subject would get raised.
“I will not do anything deliberately,” Boone stated. “Just attempt to let the relationship develop, and ideally I can be an excellent source for not just Juan however any and all of our gamers.”
When the Yankees obtained Soto, whom they’ll pay $31 million this season, they traded away 4 young pitchers, consisting of the extremely related to Michael King, and catcher Kyle Higashioka. It was a relocation numerous thought the Yankees would not have actually made if they weren’t intent on attempting to keep Soto for the long run.
