A prominent New York Yankees insider has suggested that a northeast team poses a significant threat to signing Juan Soto this winter, and it’s not the New York Mets.
Despite a rough July and early August, the Yankees are currently just a half-game behind the best record in baseball. Aaron Judge’s pursuit of a second American League MVP award is a major factor in their success, but Juan Soto also plays a crucial role.
Soto has performed at an elite level throughout the year, fueling ongoing speculation about his future. As a 25-year-old hitting the open market this offseason, he’s expected to command a deal exceeding half a billion dollars. However, few teams can afford such a contract.
While the Mets and their wealthy owner Steve Cohen have been seen as the Yankees’ primary competition for Soto, The Athletic’s Chris Kirshner recently suggested that the Washington Nationals might actually be a bigger threat to the Yankees’ chances of re-signing Soto.
Juan Soto stats (2024): .296 AVG, .427 OBP, .600 SLG, 37 HR, 95 RBI, 108 R
Could the Nationals be the Yankees’ biggest rival in keeping Juan Soto?
“With starting pitcher Patrick Corbin’s $25 million coming off the books for the Nationals and a team loaded with pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players, Washington’s payroll is currently projected by Cot’s Contracts to be only $60 million for 2025,” Kirshner wrote. “The Nats have spent lavishly in free agency in the past and would be wise to pursue Soto, who’s only spoken glowingly of the franchise where he won a World Series in 2019.
“With his age, he also fits the timeline of the Nationals’ young core. Soto has mentioned on several occasions how heartbroken he was when the Nationals, after he rejected their $440 million long-term contract offer, traded him to the San Diego Padres in 2022.”
“With starting pitcher Patrick Corbin’s $25 million coming off the books for the Nationals and a team loaded with pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players, Washington’s payroll is currently projected by Cot’s Contracts to be only $60 million for 2025,” Kirshner wrote. “The Nats have spent lavishly in free agency in the past and would be wise to pursue Soto, who’s only spoken glowingly of the franchise where he won a World Series in 2019.
“With his age, he also fits the timeline of the Nationals’ young core. Soto has mentioned on several occasions how heartbroken he was when the Nationals, after he rejected their $440 million long-term contract offer, traded him to the San Diego Padres in 2022.”
Despite the Nationals’ 59-73 record this season, there is optimism both within and outside the organization that the team is on the brink of a significant comeback, thanks to a crop of promising prospects. Reacquiring Soto to lead this resurgence would be a logical move.
Additionally, Soto’s previous positive experience with the franchise might give the Nationals a distinct edge in the competition for his services as a free agent.
