"If Yankees sign Juan Soto, they have $168,000,000 for 4 players" - MLB analyst believes Bronx Bombers will miss out on superstar free agent
The New York Yankees are among the five teams that have reportedly made Juan Soto an offer this offseason. The team is looking to bring him back to play alongside Aaron Judge to repeat what they did last season, which is winning the AL pennant after 15 years before coming up short against the LA Dodgers in the World Series.
However, the downside of signing Soto is that the club will have to give up a chunk of their payroll. They already have large contracts in place for Judge, Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton. Adding another $40-50 million/season star could limit them from spending elsewhere and address other roster concerns.
This is why MLB insider Dan O'Dowd believes acquiring Soto on a contract north of $600 million may not necessarily be good for the franchise.
"He's at an incredible age, in the prime of his career, and is one of the most elite hitters we’re going to see in our generation. Saying all that, Joel, I may surprise you by saying I’m not sure it’s in the Yankees' best interest to go down this path," O'Dowd said on the New York Post podcast called 'The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman'.
"It’s foolish to assume that without this player, they’ll never have a chance to win. The Yankees already have three players committed to $108 million in payroll. If they sign Soto, as you mentioned, with a deal starting with a six, that puts them at $168 million for four players.
"Simply put, the math doesn’t work. The depth of their system and the impact of their prospects don’t allow them to field a quality team with the depth needed to win in today’s game," he added.
(from 4:00 mark onwards)
Dan O'Dowd suggests other players whom Yankees can acquire if they miss out on landing Juan Soto
According to O'Dowd, it may be a blessing in disguise for the Yankees if they don't land Soto. This would allow the club to spend elsewhere and uplift the roster overall.
"I’ve read articles, Joel, and I do think [Cody] Bellinger is a good fit for the Yankees," O'Dowd said. "Personally, I’m a fan of [Jurickson] Profar — I think he’d be a perfect leadoff hitter for them in left field. I’d give Jason Dominguez another year of development because they’ll need him at some point during the season.
"I’d explore Alonso because his batting profile fits better, especially given how many home runs he hits to center, which works well at Yankee Stadium and in right field. Christian Walker, being a pull hitter, wouldn’t work as well," he added.
(from 5:13 mark onwards)
Dan O'Dowd also mentioned that while Soto is "by far the most dynamic player," the reality is that the Yankees need to field an entire team, and that "there are payroll limits" for any team in the game, including the Bronx Bombers.
Do you think the New York Yankees should re-sign Juan Soto or should they look to spread their funds elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.