Juan Soto News: Yankees GM Brian Cashman expects 3x All-Star to test free agency after 2024 season
Juan Soto has been the New York Yankees' top offseason acquisition. The club brought in the star OF on a trade move along with Trent Grisham in December 2023. Soto signed a one-year $31 million deal with the Bronx Bombers as he moved from the San Diego Padres.
However, even before the regular season started, rumors were swirling that the three-time All-Star might not extend his stay at the Yankee Stadium beyond 2025 and would try to test his free agency.
As per The Athletic's Chris Kirschner, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman recently talked about Soto's situation. He has stated that the team is expecting the 25-year-old star to go into free agency once his contract is up before the 2025 season.
"Our expectation is that he's going to go into free agency," Cashman said.
Last year with the Padres, Soto was phenomenal. He played 162 games with a .275 batting average, 35 home runs, 109 RBIs and an MLB-leading 132 walks. Following such great numbers, he received his third All-Star game call-up and was also the recipient of the Silver Slugger Award.
For the upcoming season, the Yankees would surely hope he could replicate his last season's success and put on another show of strength to help them reach the postseason or, even better, materialize their World Series dream. They would surely hope to hold on to the young OF for more than just one season as he will be one of the MLB greats, if not already.
Currently, it all depends on the star and what he wants. It will be seen later in the season if he wants to stick with the clubhouse and sign another new contract with the Yanks or move for adventure elsewhere.
Juan Soto keeps the door open for a possible free-agency move to the Mets next season
The New York Mets have been recently rumored to be interested in taking Juan Soto to the Citi Field stadium next season once his deal one-year deal with the Yankees is up.
Although it seems the slugger is not paying much attention to such rumors, he hasn't shut off any possibility of moving to the Mets as a free agent next season. He said (via NJ.com's Randy Miller):
"I don’t know,” Soto said. “I don’t really care. I’m part of the Yankees. If they want to talk, they can talk with Scott.”