“Juan Soto is almost Hall of Fame status already” – Former Dodgers 2B Kolten Wong urges Yankees to write "blank check” to keep 5x Silver Slugger
On Thursday, former Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Kolten Wong talked about highly sought-after hitter Juan Soto. The Dominican had a fantastic 2024 campaign, making it to the World Series with the New York Yankees before ultimately having to settle for a runners-up spot.
In the recently concluded campaign, Soto had a .288 batting average, with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. With numbers like those, it is not surprising to see the huge interest that various MLB franchises have shown in acquiring Soto's services since he entered free agency following the end of the 2024 campaign.
On a clip posted to the "Foul Territory" X page on November 14, Wong urged the Yankees to do whatever it took to ensure they kept the superstar in the Bronx.
"To think about what (Juan Soto) has done in his career already. It's insane, man. He's almost Hall of Fame status already... If I'm the Yankees, I cannot let this guy walk... Write him a blank check, tell him to fill it out," Wong said [0:03]
"The guy changes the lineup, man, he changes the feel of a team. You got him and (Aaron) Judge in the same lineup, that's gonna be scary for a lot of years regardless," Wong added [0:24]
Just like Juan Soto, Kolten Wong is also a free agent. The last two years have seen him become a journeyman of sorts, with stints for the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Yankees assess World Series-winning backup in case Juan Soto leaves
The Yankees front office has a huge offseason ahead to build another strong team after being outclassed by the Dodgers in the World Series. Though bringing in quality players is a big part of that mission, ensuring the best performers of the past season stay put is the most obvious road.
At the very top of that list will be 26-year-old superstar Juan Soto, one of the best hitters in the major leagues in 2024. However, with Soto set to listen to offers from interested franchises in the coming weeks, there is nothing to suggest that Soto will continue his stay in the Bronx. In case the Yankees fail to keep their man, they have reportedly earmarked 2024 World Series winner Teoscar Hernandez as the ideal man to replace Soto.
Just like Juan Soto's situation, there is still a lot that is undecided about Teoscar Hernandez's future at the moment. Having been such a key part of the team for the 2024 World Series winners, the Dodgers might not be looking to tinker with a machine that worked so well the previous season and might offer an extension of their own.
Baseball fans are set for an intriguing offseason as Juan Soto, Teoscar Hernandez and a number of other top players set to make huge decisions about their future over the winter.