New York Yankees

The Houston Astros are discussing trading Kyle Tucker to the New York Yankees in exchange for AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.

The Astros are also talking over a potential Tucker trade with the Chicago Cubs that would involve Seiya Suzuki and Isaac Paredes, per Heyman.

Tucker has one year left under arbitration on his expiring contract. He missed three months with a shin injury last season but still recorded 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 games for the Astros. Spotrac projects him to receive $16.7 million next season.

Gil meanwhile became the first Yankees player since Aaron Judge to earn a ROY nod by recording a 15-7 record and 3.50 ERA in 29 starts. He allowed 104 hits and 77 walks while striking out 171 batters through 151 2/3 innings.

He similarly has one year remaining under arbitration and is estimated to earn $800,000 next season by Spotrac.

Astros general manager Dana Brown has previously indicated that the Astros would only trade Bregman if it made them more competitive going forward. The team could be considering securing an extension for Gil as part of their future plans.

The Astros have a few questions to answer regarding their rotation after veteran starter Justin Verlander hit free agency following the 2024 season.

Yusei Kikuchi, who briefly joined the Astros as a mid-season rental in 2024, is also headed out of Houston after signing with the Los Angeles Angels in free agency.

The Astros could be set to start the season without Lance McCullers Jr., who has not yet returned from right flexor tendon surgery in summer of 2023, as well as Cristian Javier, who underwent right elbow surgery in June.

The Yankees meanwhile have an apparent surplus of starting pitchers after adding Max Fried in free agency.

With Gerrit Cole and Fried at the top of the rotation, the Yankees currently hold Gil alongside Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman on a list of seven potential starters.

Verlander could still return to the Astros, with whom Brown has confirmed he is having talks. However, he is turning 42 in February, so Houston could decide to target young pitching talent this offseason regardless of his free agency decision.

Having already added Max Fried to their rotation, the New York Yankees are preparing to make their pitch to Japanese star Rōki Sasaki.

Speaking to reporters at the winter meetings on Wednesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed they have prepared a presentation to Sasaki when they get a face-to-face meeting with the 23-year-old.

Brian Cashman said that they have prepared a presentation for Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki, who is expected to begin meeting with interested teams soon.

“A big arm with a big desire to be great,” Cashman said. “His intent is to be one of the game’s greatest pitchers on the…

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) December 11, 2024

All 30 teams should at least extend an offer to Sasaki because the cost will only be international bonus money since he falls under MLB's amateur free-agent rules due to his age.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been cited as a heavy favorite to land Sasaki. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters on Tuesday they consider the right-hander "a major priority" and they're "going to do whatever we can" to sign him.

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said they are "very optimistic" about their chances to sign Sasaki and the team intends to put on a "full-court press to make it happen."

The Athletic's Jim Bowden (h/t Alex Smith of SNY.tv) reported on Monday that the Dodgers and New York Mets were viewed as the "early favorites" for Sasaki.

After losing Juan Soto to the Mets, the Yankees have already started to reallocate some of the money they offered him into other marquee free agents. Fried agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract with the reigning AL champs on Tuesday, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Sasaki was officially posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines on Monday, giving him 45 days to negotiate with all 30 MLB clubs. If no deal is reached by 5 p.m. ET deadline on Jan. 23, he will return to his NPB club for the 2024 season.

There's little doubt he is going to sign with a team by that point. He is considered part of the 2025 international amateur class. Team bonus pool allotments range from $4.1 million to $7.6 million, with eight teams at that top level.

The Mets, Yankees and Padres are among 12 teams with $6.3 million in bonus money available. The Dodgers have the second-lowest bonus allotment with $5.1 million to spend. Teams do have the ability to acquire up to 60 percent of their allotted bonus pool money in trades if they want to try increasing their offer to Sasaki.

Sasaki went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings over 18 appearances for Chiba Lotte last season. He owns a 2.10 ERA in 394.2 innings across four NPB seasons.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman suggested Wednesday that the organization is showing resolve in the face of adversity this offseason.

During an appearance on MLB Network, Cashman said the following when asked about the Yankees' mindset after losing outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency: "No retreat, no surrender. We'll get back after it, we want to get back to the World Series and try to win it."

"No retreat, no surrender. We'll get back after it, we want to get back to the World Series and try to win it."

- @Yankees GM Brian Cashman on the team moving forward following Juan Soto's free agency decision#MLBNHotStove presented by @CohnReznick pic.twitter.com/e7F0i6DADC

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 11, 2024

Although the Yankees made a strong play to retain Soto, he ultimately signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets.

The Yanks already made their first post-Soto splash in free agency on Tuesday, signing starting pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

That move helped cement New York's rotation as one of the best in baseball with Fried joining Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortés and Marcus Stroman.

However, the Yankees still have several holes to fill in a lineup currently headlined by Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm, Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells.

New York undoubtedly needs a first baseman and at least one outfielder, plus either a second baseman or third baseman depending on where manager Aaron Boone decides to play Chisholm.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported this week that the Yankees have shown interest in veteran free-agent first baseman Christian Walker, who hit a total of 95 home runs with the Arizona Diamondbacks over the past three seasons.

It was also reported last week by YES Network's Jack Curry (h/t SI.com's Joe Najarian) that the Yankees were potentially interested in a trade for Chicago Cubs outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger.

The biggest potential move the Yankees could make would be a trade for Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker, who is a three-time All-Star and a fifth-place finisher in the 2023 AL MVP voting.

Sherman reported the Yanks are interested in such a move, although the Astros would likely want the reigning American League Rookie of the Year in Gil as part of the trade.

As was the case with Soto when the Yankees acquired him from the San Diego Padres last offseason, Tucker has only one year remaining on his contract.

Although the Yankees only had Soto for one season, he finished third in the AL MVP voting by hitting .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI and helped lead New York to the World Series.

Tucker is a left-handed hitter who would be able to replace much of what Soto brought to the New York lineup, and acquiring him is a move that would go a long way toward taking away the sting associated with losing Soto.

The New York Yankees have signed former Atlanta Braves left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. It is the largest guarantee for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history.

The deal caused fans to unearth one of Fried's social media posts from 10 years ago celebrating Yankees legend Derek Jeter:

When it's meant to be. It's meant to be #RE2PECT

— Max Fried (@MaxFried32) September 26, 2014

The Bronx Bombers are going shopping after Juan Soto rejected the team's 16-year, $760 million deal, opting instead to sign with the New York Mets (15 years, $765 million) on Saturday. They didn't waste much time, landing one of the biggest name free agent pitchers available.

The 30-year-old Fried, a two-time All-Star, pitched in Atlanta for eight seasons. He's gone 73-36 lifetime with a 3.07 ERA (1.16 WHIP) and 8.8 K/9 rate.

In New York, Fried could potentially slot in as the Yankees' No. 2 starter behind ace Gerrit Cole. The defending AL champions certainly could have used another high-quality arm to strengthen the rotation, and that's what they got in Fried, who elicited many positive remarks from fans and analysts alike following the move.

Max Fried to the Yankees for the next 8 years. Now you have Cole and Max in that rotation. Wow!

— Top Fan Rivalry (@topfanrivalry) December 10, 2024

Forget the length of the deal. In the here and now Max Fried projects as the quintessential lefty who has traditionally thrived at Yankee Stadium. Smart pickup by the #Yankees.

— Mike Vaccaro (@MikeVacc) December 10, 2024

Before Soto signed with the Mets, @Bobo3324 and I had a conversation where we said, for $750 Million-plus let him go and go sign three players for what Soto cost.

Fried is the first. Pitching trade capital for an Arenado trade. Bregman. Walker. Burnes. Yankees in good spot.

— Darin Zoccali (@atTheTrack7) December 10, 2024

Yeah...that'll play. Congrats to Max Fried on receiving the largest guaranteed contract in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher (per @JeffPassan).

Yankees rotation just got that much better https://t.co/dFlQd8HgPD pic.twitter.com/Fqp04Fp19A

— Donald Stricklin (@Dstricklin8) December 10, 2024

Max Fried (signed by NYY) is an elite lefty with an extremely deep arsenal which he commands very well

Fried holds an excellent 3.07 ERA and 3.29 FIP in his career and gives the Yankees a massive boost to their rotation https://t.co/L3DToRp2Hp pic.twitter.com/v00c17kn8H

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) December 10, 2024

Max Fried since 2020:

— 2.81 ERA
— 659.0 IP
— 624 Ks
— 1.09 WHIP
— 3.10 FIP

2x Top-5 CYA finishes. 3x Gold Glove. 2x All-Star. pic.twitter.com/sX1CF1qTzT

— YankeesMuse (@YankeesMuse) December 10, 2024

This Max Fried deal also gives the Yankees some flexibility to go get a bat. Other then the years, this is a nice start. Around 27 million AAV leaves the Yankees in a nice spot, you can still make some trades or possibly pay for a bat or bullpen help. I think the rotation is set…

— Cameron Maybin (@CameronMaybin) December 10, 2024

I like Max Fried and am pleased he will be pitching for the Yankees, but I cannot believe he got 8 years

— Yankees Files (@YankeesFiles) December 10, 2024

"It's a GREAT pickup for the Yankees."

An instant reaction to the breaking news of Max Fried's reported 8-year deal on #MLBTonight presented by @CohnReznick 📺 pic.twitter.com/E1Ks3KuR7d

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 10, 2024

Nice pivot by Yankees. Max Fried is not only tough to hit, he’s tough, period. Terrific 1-2 at top of rotation with Cole. Contracts of that length for pitchers are always risky, but this guy is the goods.

— Howie Rose (@HowieRose) December 10, 2024

Max Fried since 2020 has the 3rd lowest ERA among 143 qualified SP's (2.81)

8 Years + the largest contract for a left handed pitcher. Yankees weren't going to be denied twice

NYY got there guy. Will prob trade an SP for a bat

Corbin Burnes is now licking his chops

— Dalton Feely (@dfeely14) December 10, 2024

Under $30m a year for Max Fried feels like a really good move for the Yankees https://t.co/9dhnd5HWgV

— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) December 10, 2024

Max Fried 8 YEARS to the Yankees 🤯

Great pickup for them right now. Took an 8 year deal to get him but really good start to their offseason after missing out on Soto.

— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) December 10, 2024

not sure if this is controversial but Max Fried is the best starter on the Yankees if he stays healthy

— Max Goldstein (@MaxSportsStudio) December 10, 2024

New York certainly isn't done at this point. On Monday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com listed a few notable names:

"Could the Yankees sign Alex Bregman, Max Fried and/or Christian Walker? What about a trade for Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger or Nolan Arenado? All options are now on the table for the Yankees in this new post-Soto world."

The Yankees need help at first and third base and need to fill Soto's spot in the outfield, so their attention should turn more toward bats now after getting the Fried deal done.

The New York Yankees have added another star pitcher to the top of their rotation.

The Yankees signed left-hander Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Fried and returning ace Gerrit Cole are now set to lead the Yankees rotation into the 2025 season.

---

Projected 2025 Yankees rotation

1. Gerrit Cole
2. Max Fried
3. Carlos Rodón
   
4. Luis Gil
   
5. Clarke Schmidt

---

The Yankees had a $193 million current total and $229 million projected total on the 2025 payroll prior to the Fried signing, according to Spotrac.

Fried is set to earn an average of $27.25 million per year through the 2032 season.

His contract has no deferred money and contains no opt-outs, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The left-hander will undergo a physical before the deal is finalized, per Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post.

Fried recorded a 3.25 ERA through 29 games and 174.1 innings pitched during his second All-Star campaign with the Atlanta Braves in 2024. He and Cole have both dealt with injuries in the past, but if healthy will make for one of the best 1-2 pitching combos in the AL.

Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman are also candidates for the rotation.

The signing leaves the Yankees with an apparent glut of starters in the Bronx and raises the possibility that one of these pitchers could be dealt this offseason.

The most obvious candidate would be Stroman, who was not part of the Yankees' rotation during the 2024 postseason. He has one year remaining at $18.3 million, with a vesting option for 2026 hinging on an innings pitched minimum.

Cortes was previously the subject of trade rumors amid a slump during the 2024 season. He could be an attractive trade candidate thanks to the one year he has remaining under arbitration.

It seems likely the Yankees are due for more roster changes after losing out on the bidding for star outfielder Juan Soto.

The club has been tied with interest in outfield trade candidates Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker as well as free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. Now that Soto has turned down the Yankees' reported 16-year, $760 million offer in order to cross the river to Queens, owner Hal Steinbrenner likely has the payroll to make some more offseason moves.

After a stellar eight-year run with the Atlanta Braves, Max Fried has cashed in by securing a lucrative contract with the New York Yankees in free agency.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, Fried has agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and also has no opt outs or deferrals, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

BREAKING: Left-hander Max Fried and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a eight-year, $218 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. It is the largest guarantee in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 10, 2024

According to Rob Bradford of WEEI, New York's offer to Fried was "significantly" better than that of their American League East rival Boston Red Sox, which are also in the market for pitching this winter.

This news comes two days after the Yankees lost Juan Soto, who reportedly signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets.

Fried was originally selected by the San Diego Padres with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft. He spent two years in the organization before being traded to the Braves as part of the Justin Upton deal in December 2014.

At the time of the trade, Fried was recovering from Tommy John surgery that kept him out for all of 2015. He returned to action in the minors in 2016 before making his MLB debut late in the 2017 season.

It wasn't until 2019 that Fried carved out a permanent role in Atlanta's rotation. He had a breakout season during the 2020 season that was shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The left-hander went 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting.

Fried's worst season by ERA was 2024 when he had a 3.25 mark in 29 starts. He has been named an All-Star in two of the past three years, finishing second in NL Cy Young voting in 2022.

The 30-year-old started and won the clinching Game 6 for the Braves in the 2021 World Series against the Houston Astros. He threw six shutout innings, allowing four hits with six strikeouts in a 7-0 victory.

In the wake of Atlanta's postseason loss to the San Diego Padres last season, Fried expressed hope that the two sides would be able to work out a long-term deal to keep him.

"[Wearing the Braves uniform] means everything," Fried said. "It's the organization that traded for me and gave me the opportunity to come to the big leagues and be an established big league player. I obviously don't know what's going to happen, but I have absolutely loved every minute of it, and hope to have many more."

Losing Fried puts the Braves in a tricky spot going into next year. Spencer Strider could miss some time at the start of 2025 while recovering from elbow surgery, but his decision to go with the internal brace procedure rather than Tommy John could bring him back sooner.

Chris Sale had a fantastic rebound year in 2024 that earned him the NL Cy Young, but he's going to be 36 at the start of next season and was unable to pitch in the playoffs due to a back injury.

While the Braves are going to have a lot to figure out in their rotation, Fried will join the Yankees' pitching staff in 2025 and beyond. He's been one of the most reliable starters in baseball since 2019.

Fried's 18.4 FanGraphs' wins above replacement over the past six seasons ranks fifth among all NL starters, trailing only Zack Wheeler (29.3), Aaron Nola (23.2), Max Scherzer (19.2) and Logan Webb (18.8).

After keeping Gerrit Cole following a bit of uncertainty about his opt-out situation, the Yankees are adding another frontline starter to their rotation.

Carlos Rodón had a solid 2024 campaign, but he's been underwhelming overall since signing a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees in free agency. Nestor Cortes Jr. is a fine mid-rotation starter who hasn't pitched at the level he did to start the 2022 season when he earned an All-Star selection.

Marcus Stroman, who signed with the Yankees last offseason, couldn't make their playoff roster after a rough regular season. Luis Gil has tremendous upside with a devastating changeup if he can ever harness his control after walking 77 batters in 151.2 innings.

Fried will slot in behind Cole to give the Bronx Bombers a formidable duo at the top of their pitching staff, while also moving other starters in the rotation down a slot as they try to get back to the World Series after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

With Juan Soto reportedly off the board, the next big dominoes in MLB free agency could fall rather quickly.

Starting pitcher Max Fried has received at least one contract offer of seven years, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com. The dollar figure is unknown.

Morosi added the New York Yankees are willing to offer Fried a seven-year deal.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Fried is expected to settle on a team by Thursday and listed the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers as prospective candidates for the southpaw.

Soto was by far the biggest star on the market when the offseason kicked into gear. Nobody is going to come close to matching the $765 million the New York Mets offered to him.

In that respect, his contract isn't all that instructive to other players near the upper tier of free agency. Him striking a bargain with New York did, however, highlight which teams are prepared to spend this winter.

The Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays were all finalists for Soto, with the New York Post's Joel Sherman reporting the Bronx Bombers were prepared to give him $760 million. It stands to reason all three will take some or most of the money earmarked for Soto and spread it across other signings.

ESPN's Alden González reported New York and Boston in particular "have been heavy on [Fried] for weeks now."

The Red Sox could certainly use an ace of the 30-year-old's caliber. Lucas Giolito was their notable addition to the rotation last year, and he has yet to make his debut for the team thanks to an elbow injury.

The Yankees, meanwhile, need another lefty to balance out their staff, with Carlos Rodón the only one in their projected rotation right now.

Once Fried signs, the focus will shift to Corbin Burnes, assuming he doesn't agree to a contract within the next 48 hours.

The 2021 National League Cy Young winner is incentivized to wait a bit since the full terms of Fried's contract will be a helpful guide for him and his agent at the negotiating table.

The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs "have shown interest" in Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker amid the MLB winter meetings in Dallas, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Tucker has one year remaining under arbitration before he is scheduled to hit free agency in 2026. The Astros would be "comfortable" with him playing out the contract in Houston, per Morosi.

The Cubs and Yankees have shown interest in Kyle Tucker, but the Astros are comfortable with him remaining in Houston for his walk year -- as Alex Bregman did in 2024. https://t.co/1lmldmvrjj

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 10, 2024

Tucker was sidelined for three months of the 2024 season with a fractured shin. He still earned his third straight All-Star nod while slashing .289/.408/.585 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 games.

The Astros star was one of the most efficient home-run hitters in the MLB during his shortened season. As noted by the MLB network, Tucker recorded one home run per 14.7 plate appearances last season, ranking him third only to the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani.

That could make him an appealing candidate for the Yankees as the club works on replacing Juan Soto, who signed a record-breaking deal with the New York Mets this weekend after recording a career-high 41 home runs in 2024.

The Cubs, meanwhile, are reportedly considering trading Cody Bellinger and could use Tucker to replace him in the lineup should they complete a deal for the outfielder.

When asked about whether the Astros would listen to trades for either Tucker or pitcher Framber Valdez, general manager Dana Brown told reporters on Monday that the club will "listen on anybody" (h/t Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.)

"If it doesn't make sense, we wouldn't do it," Brown said on Monday, per Kawahara. "So it really would have to make sense. Because right now we're a good team, and we're not motivated to move any of these guys."

Brown added: "We will not make any trades that don't make sense in terms of winning the division, getting back to the postseason and all that. We're not trying to break the team down. So the trade would have to make sense in that we're not weakening our club."

There is still a "higher chance" that the Astros decide to keep Tucker in their batting order than trade him ahead of the 2025 season, Morosi said on the MLB Network broadcast.

But Morosi noted that free-agent prices are "high" this season, and that could encourage more interest in trades. Brown will have to decide if the increasing market prices lead to any offers worth losing the final season on Tucker's deal.

Tucker has played all seven seasons of his MLB career in Houston and helped the team win the World Series in 2022. Should he leave this winter the Astros would be left with a gap to address in their batting lineup and outfield.

Despite being in need of a hitter to replace the production lost from Juan Soto's decision to join the New York Mets, the New York Yankees don't seem inclined to pursue Pete Alonso in free agency.

Per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Alonso doesn't appear to be on the Yankees' radar as they seek additional help in their lineup for next season.

Soto left the Yankees after one season to join the Mets on a 15-year, $765 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Yankees are still exploring several options on the free-agent and trade markets. Any marquee player who remains available is likely being discussed by the reigning AL champs.

Feinsand cited Alex Bregman, Max Fried and/or Christian Walker as potential free-agent targets, with Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger or Nolan Arenado touted as trade options.

New York's lack of interest in Alonso is somewhat surprising because the team does need a first baseman. Anthony Rizzo is a free agent after having his $17 million club option declined. The 35-year-old wasn't very effective last season with a .228/.301/.335 slash line in 92 games.

Alonso has the feeling of a free agent whose market may not be as robust as it once seemed. Even though he still brings tremendous power to any lineup, he had the lowest OPS of his career in 2024 (.788).

After posting a .261/.349/.535 slash line in his first four seasons, Alonso has hit .229/.324/.480 in 316 games since the start of the 2023 campaign.

When you combine Alonso's offensive regression with him being one of the worst defensive first baseman in MLB, there probably aren't going to be many teams eager to give him the $200 million deal he was reportedly seeking at one point last season.

Walker, who has won three straight Gold Glove awards at first base, has hit .255/.333/.487 over the past two seasons. His contract projections are around $60 million for three years. He is three years older than Alonso, but the fact he's had the best three-year run of his career over the past three seasons is an encouraging sign that he can hold his value going forward.

If Alonso's market gets to the point where he would be a bargain for someone, then it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Yankees get involved if they're still looking for a first baseman.

As the New York Yankees take their next steps after losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, new details about their contract offer to the four-time All-Star have come to light.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees "wouldn't budge" on giving Soto a suite at Yankee Stadium to use for his family because they felt they couldn't do that since Aaron Judge and Derek Jeter paid to use suites.

The Mets won the Soto sweepstakes when he agreed to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract with escalators that could push the total value over $800 million to leave the Bronx for Queens, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Yankees' best offer to Soto came in at $760 million over 16 years.

There wasn't much of a difference between the average annual salary offered in the deals from the Yankees ($47.5 million) or Mets ($51 million). Either one would have made him the highest-paid player in MLB history by total value and second-highest paid by average annual salary (Shohei Ohtani: $70 million per season).

Mets owner Steve Cohen did make it fairly easy for Soto to get the escalators that could push the contract over $800 million. The deal includes an opt-out after the fifth season that can be voided if the Mets increase his salary from $51 million to $55 million for the final 10 years of the contract.

It would seem unlikely that not giving Soto a suite at Yankee Stadium would be a major dealbreaker, but when negotiations between two teams are this close, all of the details will be heavily scrutinized.

One key difference between Soto and the past deals they did with Judge and Jeter is that Soto wasn't a career-long Yankee. Judge and Jeter were drafted by the organization and became superstars in the Bronx.

Soto was already an established star by the time the Yankees acquired from the San Diego Padres last offseason. Even though he seemed to enjoy his time with the club, the deep connection with the Yankees that Judge and Jeter built over several years wasn't going to be the same for Soto.

Ultimately, it seems, the best offer won out in the end. Soto was great for the Yankees and helped them reach the World Series for the first time since 2009. Now, he will look to do the same thing for the Mets starting next season.