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Hal Steinbrenner's Last Comments Spell Doom for Juan Soto Extension

The Yankees may not be so keen on re-signing Juan Soto given Hal Steinbrenner's recent comments.

By Nicholas Rome

Dec 21, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports / Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
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There was optimism for a Juan Soto contract extension prior to the end of the season when Hal Steinbrenner said he wanted to keep Soto in pinstripes for the rest of his career on Jack Curry's podcast. Hal Steinbrenner spoke at the MLB owner's meetings on Wednesday and his comments should have Yankees fans feeling a little uneasy. Steinbrenner said the following about the team's finances:

"I'm gonna be honest, payrolls at the levels we are at right now are simply not sustainable for us financially."

- Hal Steinbrenner

The comments are at first baffling due to the fact that the Yankees brought in $657 million dollars in revenue in both 2023 and 2022.

The area this should concern Yankees fans in the most is when it comes to negotiating with Juan Soto this off-season. The Yankees are currently paying Soto just $31 million dollars which will certainly take a massive jump if they re-sign him long-term.

If the Yankees bring back Soto but look to cut costs elsewhere, then the team may undergo some massive changes. The Yankees will have Gleyber Torres, Clay Holmes, Alex Verdugo, Caleb Ferguson, and several other players hitting free agency following the season.

There are really few places the Yankees could cut salary outside of finding a potential trade partner on Carlos Rodon, DJ LeMahieu, or Giancarlo Stanton.

Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees front office are now in a difficult spot as the fanbase will be outraged if they see Juan Soto head elsewhere. The Yankees fanbase understandably loves as he has transformed this lineup. The Yankees can't lowball Soto as the number they offer him will be leaked and the fans won't be accepting anything less than top dollar. Hopefully, this is just Steinbrenner posturing but it's now a storyline to follow.

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