MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Submit raised eyebrows when he recommended Thursday evening that New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto and New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso may swap groups by way of free company this fall.
Curiously, Heyman additionally revealed that sources advised him that “the Yankees will make Soto their ‘high precedence'” in the course of the subsequent offseason.
Soto joined the Yankees from the San Diego Padres by way of a December commerce and is definitely within the early days of a love affair with the New York fan base.
He’s not anticipated to provide the Yankees any sort of low cost throughout contract negotiations, however Heyman famous that the Bronx Bombers “appear primed to make a file provide” to the three-time All-Star who turns 26 years previous in October.
It was reported earlier this week that Scott Boras, Soto’s agent, seemingly “will goal” $500M “in a complete package deal” and a contract that may very well be price roughly $50M per season. Throughout his first 19 video games in pinstripes, Soto posted a .352 batting common with a 1.055 OPS, 4 residence runs and 17 RBI.
The Yankees have begun the marketing campaign at 13-6.
As for Alonso’s future, a number of in-the-know people have speculated that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has “little curiosity” in paying a power-hitting first baseman who turns 30 years previous in December.
Nonetheless, Heyman indicated that Mets proprietor Steve Cohen may instruct Stearns “to make a run at Alonso” earlier than enthusiastic about any pursuit of Soto due to how beloved the “Polar Bear” is amongst followers of the Amazins.
“Cohen didn’t purchase the workforce to turn into much less fashionable, and he certainly understands the lack of Alonso received’t be well-received,” Heyman defined. “He may change the story, in fact, by signing Soto, however contemplating Soto’s possible desire for pinstripes, he might need to outbid the Yankees by lots, to the purpose the place Alonso would possibly really turn into the higher discount.”
Cohen is MLB’s richest proprietor and may afford to signal each Soto and Alonso after the World Collection. With that mentioned, the Mets’ failed makes an attempt to land two-way famous person Shohei Ohtani and Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto this previous offseason confirmed that even the billionaire hedge-fund supervisor has a spending restrict.
If Cohen learns that the Yankees actually are the favorites to signal Soto to a historic deal earlier than Christmas 2024, whispers concerning the Mets buying Alonso earlier than this summer season’s commerce deadline might settle down sooner fairly than later.
