If the Yankees need to dethrone the Dodgers, they might should out-recruit them this winter.
The Yankees, contemporary off of shedding the World Sequence to Los Angeles, are presently centered on re-signing Juan Soto after the best fielder loved a star-studded 2024 marketing campaign within the Bronx. The Bombers, led by Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone, met with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, in Southern California on Monday, however they weren’t the one — or final — group to go to the free agent.
After beforehand taking conferences with the Blue Jays, Pink Sox and Mets, Soto was scheduled to fulfill with the Dodgers on Tuesday, in response to a number of experiences. L.A. will not be essentially thought-about a favourite for the slugger, however Soto has claimed that he’s open to all groups.
With some speculating that he’d slightly be on the East Coast, the place the Dominican native is nearer to household, the 26-year-old additionally downplayed the concept he’d like to remain in New York Metropolis.
“I don’t think so,” Soto mentioned after the World Sequence when requested in regards to the perception that he’d like to stay native. “I’m really happy with the city, with the team, how these guys do. At the end of the day, we will see. We are going to look at every situation, every offer that we get and make a decision from there.”
Whereas it will be one thing of an upset state of affairs for Soto to return to the West Coast after 1.5 seasons in San Diego, it’s no secret that the Dodgers can throw cash round, very similar to the Mets. Simply final winter, L.A. dedicated $1.4 billion to a free agent class headlined by Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani signed a large 10-year, $700 million deal, however lots of that cash is deferred. The Japanese star has since been a money cow by way of advertising, placing the outfield-needy Dodgers in place to spend massive once more.
L.A. additionally been one among baseball’s finest groups for a number of straight years. With a shiny new Commissioner’s Trophy, they will provide annual rivalry, one thing Soto has referred to as a precedence as he hopes to land a deal value greater than half-a-billion {dollars}.
The Dodgers could make the same gross sales pitch to Roki Sasaki, although he’ll signal a comparatively small contract due to MLB’s worldwide novice signing bonus pool guidelines. With the 23-year-old Japanese ace set to be posted this winter, Los Angeles may also pitch the righty on a team-up with fellow countrymen Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the latter of which the Yankees misplaced a bidding struggle for final winter.
Whereas plenty of groups will go after Sasaki due to the absence of monetary restrictions, the Dodgers are thought-about the favorites. Nonetheless, the Yankees have been scouting the fireballing righty for years. With each pennant winners anticipated to pursue the pitcher, one other heavyweight free agent combat may happen after Soto’s sweepstakes.
“Obviously, he’s already done quite a bit in Japan,” Aaron Boone just lately mentioned of Sasaki. “So we all know it’s a novel and particular expertise, a man with high of the rotation qualities, so hopefully we’re within the combine with him.
“This is a guy that you can certainly envision coming over here and being an ace and being a dominant starter.”
