Yankees Could Cut Ties With $40 Million All-Star to Retain Juan Soto

The New York Yankees made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason when they acquired Juan Soto in a seven-player trade with the  San Diego Padres. Soto joined a star-studded offense with Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton. Soto’s free agency after this season will occupy headlines, and the Yankees will have to break open the piggy bank to retain their star. The Yankees could possibly move on from Rizzo to afford Soto, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty.

Soto will likely demand a record-setting payday when the time for him to sign does come. Soto signed a $31 million contract this offseason, setting the record for an arbitration-eligible player. Tim Britton of The Athletic has projected a 14-year, $540 million contract for the outfielder.

Rizzo has found his swing recently, but “everything this offseason needs to be seen through the lens of Soto. If the Yankees think saving money at first base and shifting it to Soto is a bigger priority, then all bets are off,” wrote Kuty.

Yankees Future at First Base

Rizzo was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in 2021. Since then he has slashed .238/.333/.431 with 59 home runs.

Last season, Rizzo hit just .244 after dealing with an injury for most of the season. In 2023, Rizzo was diagnosed with “post-concussion syndrome, which the club believes stems from a May 28 collision with the Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr.,” according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch in an August 3 story.

This season Rizzo started slow, slashing just .227/.306/.284 with one home run in his first 23 games. However, in his last 20 games, he is slashing .290/.349/.566 with five home runs.

“For 2025, Rizzo has a $17 million team option with a $6 million buyout. My expectation has been that the Yankees might shift LeMahieu to first base full-time next season and look in the offseason to upgrade at third base,” wrote Kuty.

LeMahieu has not made his 2024 debut as he is still recovering from an injury he sustained in spring training. He has 201 appearances at first base in nine seasons, including 144 starts. LeMahieu has four Gold Glove Awards to his name. However, three of his wins have come as a second baseman and he won in 2022 as a utility player.

Soto’s Free Agency

The Yankees have the luxury of already having Soto in the Bronx. However, The Yankees have not “attempted to even explore what it might take to get an extension done,” according to NJ.com’s Randy Miller.

Soto is already a three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. At his age, with his accolades, there is a “possibility that his next contract will reach the $500 million threshold,” wrote ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.

Whatever it takes to sign Soto will likely need to be more than the 15-year,$440 million extension he turned down from the Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato.

Barring an extension, Soto will test free agency after the season ends. Soto wants to sign a long-term deal and “just finish in that one spot,” wrote Gonzalez.

While the Yankees have not had extension talks with the young superstar, Soto, represented by Scott Boras, is “willing to listen,” wrote Miller.

“If they want to talk, they can talk with Scott,” Soto said in March. “It what it is. For me, like I’ve said, I’m going to play baseball. I’m part of the Yankees right now. I’m not going to worry about it.”