"Why would he go there?” - MLB analyst believes Juan Soto has better options than signing with a struggling Mets team
Juan Soto was dealt to the New York Yankees ahead of the season by the San Diego Padres via trade. However, this is his last year under team control before he tests free agency. The Yankees do have the option to extend him an offer, but it is unlikely that he will sign it without evaluating what his market value is.
If he becomes a free agent after this season, a bidding war will begin, and deep-pocketed MLB teams are going to make a run for him. Steve Cohen's New York Mets are expected to make a run for him, but one MLB analyst thinks Soto won't like it there.
Ken Rosenthal was on "The Foul Territory" where he spoke about the rumors that the Mets are expected to engage in a bidding war for Juan Soto. However, he feels that there are multiple issues within the team which may be why Soto won't like to play there:
"Now, this offseason is really interesting, because the anticipation is that they're going to go hard after Juan Soto," Rosenthal said. "And I would expect that that's going to be the case.
"My question is, one, is Juan Soto enough? This team has multiple issues. And two, is Juan Soto going to want to walk into Citi Field and play for this team when he might have an equal or better offer from another team, mainly the team he is with now? That to me is something of a problem for the Mets. One, they need more than Juan Soto."
Rosenthal also added there's no good reason for Soto to go to a team that's not gonna improve solely based on his acquisition:
"And two, all things being equal, why would he go there? They have not shown a track record of success of late. It's in fact been something of a messy situation for several years now. So I don't know where this goes," he added.
"We ain't closing any doors" - Juan Soto hints at decision to opt for free agency
Earlier this month, Soto was vocal about liking to play in New York and that he would love to hear any extension offers. His quotes were then taken out of context by some, with many predicting that he would re-sign with the Yankees and not test free agency.
However, this was followed by a more clearer statement by Soto, which suggests that he will be a free agent when winter hits:
"We ain't closing any doors," Soto said via Sammy Levitt of 97.3 The Fan. "Whoever wants to talk about deals and stuff, I'm open to deal with anybody."
Adding to the fact that a recent statement from Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, saying the current payroll is "not sustainable," might further hint that the Yankees may not go all-in to get back Juan Soto. Hal did mention though, that he would like Soto to finish his career in pinstripes.
Do you think Juan Soto should stay with the Yankees beyond the winter or test free agency instead? Are the Mets are viable option? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.