Brian Cashman Admits Disappointing Truth About Juan Soto

When the New York Yankees traded for superstar slugger Juan Soto in a blockbuster deal in December, there was a fear among fans that he would be a one-year rental. These fears just got a lot stronger after general manager Brian Cashman's most recent statements about Soto's future with the club.

"The odds are this is a one-year situation. I don't see too many things stopping him from reaching free agency."

- Brian Cashman on Juan Soto

Juan Soto and the Yankees avoided arbitration earlier in the offseason with a record-setting, $31 million salary for 2024, topping the list of all arbitration-eligible players. This also meant that Soto was entering the final season of his deal before hitting free agency.

This doesn't preclude the Yankees from re-signing Soto next year when he hits the open market. New York went through this with Aaron Judge last offseason before bringing him back on a nine-year deal.

However, bringing the 25-year-old superstar will certainly not be easy. Soto is a client of Scott Boras, who is known to extract every last penny for his players in contract negotiations. The Yankees should not expect a discount or quick negotiations next winter.

New York should prepare to shell out at least $500 million guaranteed next deal. After giving up so much talent and depth to acquire Soto, the Yankees don't have much leverage in negotiations. However, if Soto maintains his level of play from the first six seasons of his career, the Yankees will have no problem giving him whatever necessary to keep him around long-term.

Soto has put up a slash line of .284/.421/.524 while averaging 133 walks and 33 home runs per 162 games played. His career .421 OBP leads all active players in the MLB.

The Yankees took a big swing with the Soto acquisition. Cashman and the fans would be extremely disappointed if it was for a one-year rental. This raises the stakes for the Yankees season this year. Another disappointing finish like last year, followed by a Soto exit would be a total disaster. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Soto currently has the second-best odds (+600) after fellow Yankee Aaron Judge to win American League MVP in 2024.

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