Once again, Juan Soto finds himself at Dodger Stadium, with everyone in baseball talking about his future.
His first experience at the stadium happened before the All-Star Game in July 2022. Soto was surrounded by reporters in the Center Field Plaza and was asked about his choice to decline Washington’s $440 million, 15-year offer, which would have been the largest deal in baseball history. Just a few hours later, the 23-year-old won the Home Run Derby.
“That was crazy,” Soto remembered on Thursday.
Now, he was back in New York Yankees gray, facing an even bigger stage for the World Series, and the excitement about his next big contract was still strong ahead of Game 1 on Friday, which is also his 26th birthday.
“Just give him as much money as you possibly can,” said teammate Clarke Schmidt, sitting about 100 feet away. “I think money talks. So whatever he needs, I think you’ve got to make it happen.”
Soto was traded to San Diego just two weeks after that All-Star Game and then to New York last December. Now, with the first Yankees-Dodgers World Series since 1981 approaching, he was asked about his upcoming free agency and the chance of receiving $600 million offers.
Like he did 27 months ago, he sidestepped direct questions and referred to his agent, Scott Boras. “Scott has been doing a really good job,” Soto said. “He’s been taking all the bullets and everything. I’m just focused on playing baseball right now.”
Soto and Aaron Judge have become manager Aaron Boone’s favorite duo. They filled the Nos. 2 and 3 batting spots in 153 games, setting a franchise record that surpassed the 145 games played by Joe Dugan and Babe Ruth in 1923, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Those Yankees won the team’s first title, and Soto and Judge are now aiming for No. 28.
“I think he’s loving being here and being part of this team and knowing what’s at stake and what he has an opportunity to do,” Boone said before the Yankees’ first game of the postseason.
“He obviously came in here with a ton of attention and all the attention that goes with him being a free agent at the end of the year, and you’ve never felt that. It’s been about being part of this team, and he’s fit in perfectly.”
After arriving at spring training in a T-shirt that said “The Generational Juan Soto,” Soto had a great season, hitting .288 with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and 129 walks. In the nine postseason games so far, he’s batting .333 with three home runs, eight RBIs, and seven walks.
“It seems like the bigger the at-bat, the bigger the moment, he does have a knack for seizing that moment,” Soto said. Soto credited his friendly teammates for creating a space where he can do well.
“They really make it easy for me,” he said. “That’s why I feel really comfortable where I’m at and I know how happy I am right now.” Boras is promoting Soto to teams as “The Greatest Surplus Value in Free Agent History.”
When Soto helped Washington win its first title in 2019, he joined Mickey Mantle as the only players with seven RBIs in a World Series at age 21 or younger.
Soto hit a tying home run onto Minute Maid Park’s left-field train tracks and a two-run double in Game 1 against Gerrit Cole, who is starting the opener for the Yankees.
“It’s kind of tough to compete against sometimes when the big dogs are doing their thing,” said Cole, who had won 19 consecutive decisions.
Soto hit a go-ahead home run off Justin Verlander in Game 6 and a two-out RBI single in the eighth inning of Game 7, helping Washington become the first World Series champion to win four road games.
Three years later, he got a tying single in the seventh inning of Game 4 in the NL Division Series for San Diego against the Dodgers and hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in Game 4 of the Championship Series against Philadelphia.
“He has the ability to have a hyper-focus in key pressure situations to where he is most optimal and he can exhibit his greatest skills in key moments,” Boras said. “That really elevates the probability of a team winning a championship and thereby provides an owner with what he most covets and certainly increases the value of players who can deliver that.”
With the Yankees, Soto hit a go-ahead home run in the AL Championship Series opener against Cleveland and a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the 10th inning that won the pennant against the Guardians in Game 5 last weekend.
He fouled off a couple of sliders and changeups, then drove a Hunter Gaddis fastball over the center-field wall.
“That’s an at-bat for the ages,” Boone said. “A couple of uncomfortable-looking swings in there, where he just kind of spoiled and stayed alive, kind of fights himself back and finally gets a pitch in and does what Juan does with it.”
Soto became a fan favorite in the Bronx from opening day, cheered on by the Bleacher Creatures and supported by New York’s large Dominican community.
“I’ve been really thankful for them and really happy that they have my back the whole year,” Soto said. Carefully choosing his words, Soto wouldn’t say whether being happy matters more than money as a free agency factor.
“Definitely every player wants to be happy where they are,” he said. “At the end of the day, whenever you win, you’re really going to be happy.”
