New York Yankees

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge says he hasn't spoken to Juan Soto since his former teammate hit free agency following the Yankees' World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I haven't talked to him at all," Judge said on Friday, per SNY. "I think the best thing is to really give those guys space. I talked to him all season and he knows how we feel about him."

The Yankees are reportedly in competition with other teams including the Dodgers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays to sign Soto this offseason.

Judge made it clear he would prefer to have Soto in the batting lineup ahead of him next season.

"Having the chance to have one hit in front of me, and I get to see a lot of pitches, he's going to be a tough at-bat in front of me. He's going to wear down the pitcher right there in the first inning, within the first 15 pitches or so," Judge said about batting behind Soto during the run to the World Series. "That was a big impact, was having a guy like that in front of you.

"If I could have eight Juan Sotos in the lineup with me, I would love that."

Judge said he met with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner in Tampa after the end of the season in order to discuss free agency options including bringing Soto back to the Bronx.

Judge re-signed with the Yankees in December 2022 on a $360 million, nine-year contract. At the time the deal marked the third-largest in MLB history.

Winning the bidding war for Soto could require the Yankees going well over that amount, with the star hitter's next deal generally estimated to be somewhere in the range of $500 million over ten years.

Judge said on Friday that Soto potentially receiving more money from the Yankees would not bother him.

"It ain't my money, I really don't care, as long as we get the best players, we get the most that we can, I'm happy with whatever," Judge said. "That's never been something on my mind, about who gets paid the most. It's just, whatever we can do to get the best players, I'll take it. I think that's what it comes down to.

Judge named Giancarlo Stanton, who is playing on the 13-year, $325 million deal with the Miami Marlins in 2014, as an example as to how to manage teammates' rising salaries.

"Once he came here, he didn't care about being the highest-paid guy. He just wanted good players around him," Judge said. "I think you could ask everybody in the room, they kind of feel the same way."

The Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Blue Jays have all met with Soto in free agency, and the Philadelphia Phillies are setting up a meeting, per The Athletic's Jim Bowden. Soto, who turned 26 in October and led the AL with 128 runs last year, could potentially meet with even more teams before making his final free agency decision.

As many of MLB's powerhouse teams have entered the fray for Juan Soto, the New York Yankees are putting their best foot forward to retain the four-time All-Star.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Yankees' "desire" in bringing back Soto "is most acute" as he has also met with the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Yankees had their first in-person meeting with Soto this week. Owner Hal Steinbrenner described it as a "good" meeting, but he declined to provide specifics about their discussion other than to say it's a "priority" to keep him on the roster.

It's unclear how many more teams Soto and his representatives plan to speak with before the winter meetings begin in Dallas on Dec. 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a meeting scheduled with Soto on Tuesday, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. It has yet to be confirmed if it took place.

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to meet with him at some point, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Passan noted Soto is the "foremost priority" for the Yankees because they saw the difference he made to their lineup last season and "the prospect of losing that" combined with the "fallout" from potentially being outbid by another team to keep him would be borderline catastrophic for the franchise.

This isn't to suggest it will be easy to keep Soto. There is some thought that Mets owner Steve Cohen will offer him the largest contract of any team in the market.

Contract projections for Soto are generally in the range of 13 years and $600 million. Such a deal would make the 26-year-old the second-highest-paid player in MLB by total salary and average annual salary, behind the 10-year, $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani got from the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

Since Ohtani's contract contains so much deferred money, the net present-day value of his deal is right around $460 million over 10 years ($46 million annually).

A 13-year, $600 million contract for Soto with no deferred money would make him the highest-paid player in MLB with a $46.2 million average annual salary.

Soto's first season with the Yankees couldn't have gone any better. He finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288/.419/.569 with a career-high 41 homers to help the Bronx Bombers reach the World Series for the first time since 2009.

The 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth No. 149 card sold for $1.62 million on Thursday at a Fanatics Collect auction, making it one of the most highly prized pieces of Ruth memorabilia ever sold.

The card is just one of four Ruth issues in the 1933 Goudey set, and one of them currently resides in The Smithsonian.

"Typically, cards like this don't come to auction," Fanatics Live & Fanatics Collect president Chris Lamontagne told Michael Clair of MLB.com on Nov. 15. "You could say this is a once-in-a-generation-type moment, given the provenance and the history of a card like this. It's 90 years old at this point, it's a super high grade of a card. So, when this started to transpire as something that was going to be a thing, we were like, 'Hey, we've got to share this with lots of people.'"

Per Clair, the previous owner was an anonymous New York Yankees fan and only the second person to own the card.

Ruth has always been a larger-than-life figure in both baseball and American history, and for good reason—he held the career home-run record until Hank Aaron surpassed it in 1974, and the single-season home run record until Roger Maris bested it in 1961 (both Aaron and Maris have since been surpassed as well).

Ruth also had multiple seasons when he hit more home runs than most of the teams in the sport, and from 1926-32 out-homered the entire Washington Senators' franchise, 343-327.

There is historical context to be considered when evaluating his greatness, of course—Ruth played in a segregated form of the sport that didn't include the top Black players of his time. The modern game also has seen a huge influx of talented players from other regions across the world, including Latin America and Asia.

But Ruth's comprehensive dominance is impossible to ignore, and he remains one of the enduring icons of American sport.

The New York Yankees were able to retain their ace Gerrit Cole without adding another year to his contract this offseason, but team owner Hal Steinbrenner is still hoping to see him retire in pinstripes.

While discussing the decision not to extend Cole through the 2029 season and keep him on his existing deal that runs through 2028, Steinbrenner told reporters, "Let me just say, that doesn't reflect in any way, shape or form what we think of Gerrit. We want Gerrit to be a Yankee for life."

Steinbrenner went on to add that he believes the feeling is mutual with Cole, saying, "I believe he wants to be a Yankee for life. And adding one more year or not adding one more year should have no meaning when it comes to that."

Cole initially triggered an opt-out clause in his contract that could have made him a free agent, but he ultimately agreed to continue with the Yankees on his original deal, which will pay him $144 million through 2028. The Yankees could've voided Cole's opt-out by adding another year and $36 million to the deal, but Steinbrenner said he "wasn't in a position where I was comfortable going to a fifth year."

Cole endured an injury-riddled 2024 season to finish with an 8-5 record, a 3.41 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 17 starts. He performed even better in the playoffs as the Yankees made their first World Series appearance since 2009, starting five games and going 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA and 22 strikeouts. He allowed just one earned run in the World Series, but the team lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

Retaining Cole provides some stability for New York's pitching staff and gives Steinbrenner and company the chance to put all their focus into trying to hold onto prized free agent Juan Soto.

If the Yankees can re-sign the star slugger while filling other holes on their roster, they will be in a position to compete for a second straight trip to the World Series next season.

Aaron Boone may not be leaving the New York Yankees' dugout anytime soon.

Yankees chairman Hal Steinbrenner signaled Thursday he'll weigh an extension for Boone "in the near future."

"There's no huge rush to it, but I will have those discussions as to what we should do next," he said, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Boone's future was a storyline throughout the 2024 MLB campaign because his contract allowed for the Yankees to make a clean break this offseason if the team fell short of expectations. The team simply could've declined his 2025 option and launched a search for a new manager.

With New York winning its first American League pennant since 2009, it became pretty clear that Boone would return. The absence of a long-term extension, however, means everybody could be right back in the same position.

In a media call earlier this month, the 51-year-old told reporters his representatives had yet to open negotiations with the Yankees.

"But I think that said, there's a lot going on after the season with just, throughout the organization, contracts being up and there's a lot of work to do that you don't necessarily get to attend to when you're going through the playoffs and the World Series," he said. "So, I know there's a lot of loose ends to tie up organizationally. So, we'll see what unfolds, but either way, I'm prepared and ready to go and excited for 2025."

A portion of the fanbase probably won't be thrilled in the event the Bronx Bombers make a firm commitment to Boone beyond 2025. For them, losing the World Series in five games to a depleted Los Angeles Dodgers squad only reinforced the idea he's not the guy to get the franchise over the hump.

But having Boone be a lame duck for another year may not work to anybody's benefit because it will only heighten the sense of unease the moment the Yankees go through their first rough patch.

Giving Boone an extension seemingly wouldn't preclude ownership from making a managerial change next fall, either, if New York's fortunes take a nose dive.

Another day, another team that had a positive meeting with Juan Soto as he continues to bask in the glow of being the most sought-after free agent on the market.

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters on Wednesday they had a "good meeting" with the four-time All-Star that lasted a couple of hours, but he didn't provide any other details about the gathering.

The Yankees are at least the fourth team that Soto's camp has had an in-person meeting with so far this offseason. The New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are the other clubs.

Per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a meeting on the books with Soto at some point this week. The Philadelphia Phillies also plan to speak with the 26-year-old, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Each of the meetings Soto has had so far resulted in everyone coming out of it feeling very good. The Red Sox and Blue Jays made "impressive in-person presentations" to Soto.

The Mets' visit with Soto went "extremely well," as they made a "big production" and were "very detailed" in making their pitch to him.

Even though there are several teams that are involved, there is some belief right now that Soto's decision will come down to the Yankees or Mets. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on Tuesday the "most likely scenario" will see Soto leave the Bronx for Queens.

If the ultimate decider is money, it's hard to imagine anyone making a higher offer than Mets owner Steve Cohen. He is reportedly willing to go past $50 million per season in a deal to land Soto.

Steinbrenner, on the other hand, has been more fiscally conservative in his ownership of the Yankees than his father was. He said during the 2024 season that the team's payroll was "simply not sustainable" at the $309.4 million level it was at.

This doesn't necessarily take the Yankees out of the equation, as their current projected payroll for 2025 without Soto under contract is $234.4 million.

Soto acquitted himself well in his first season with the Yankees after being acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres. He is an AL MVP finalist after hitting .288/.419/.569 with 41 homers and helping the Bronx Bombers reach the World Series for the first time since 2009.

In the most predictable move of the MLB offseason thus far, Juan Soto will not be accepting the qualifying offer from the New York Yankees.

Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the four-time All-Star rejected the one-year, $21.05 million tender before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline passed.

Soto was one of 13 players who received a qualifying offer from their 2024 team. If a player accepts the offer, they sign a one-year deal with the club for a preset amount.

If the player rejects a qualifying offer and signs with another team, the player's previous club will receive a draft pick that is determined based on certain payroll criteria.

For example, a revenue-sharing team that loses a player who signs a contract worth at least $50 million receives a pick between the first round and competitive balance round A.

If the Yankees were to lose Soto, their compensation would be a pick after the fourth round because they were a team that exceeded the competitive balance tax threshold in 2024.

The only player to accept a qualifying offer so far is Nick Martinez of the Cincinnati Reds.

There was never any question Soto would turn down the one-year tender. He is expected to sign a deal that could end up being the richest in MLB history when you adjust for present-day value.

Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers has a present-day value of roughly $460 million when accounting for the amount of deferred money he is owed.

Some estimates project Soto could sign for more than $600 million when he eventually picks a team. If there's no deferred money in his contract, that would be by far the richest deal in MLB history.

The current record for richest contract with no deferred money is Mike Trout's 13-year, $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels that was signed prior to the start of the 2019 season.

Soto, who turned 26 on Oct. 25, is a .285/.421/.532 career hitter in 936 games over six seasons. He hit .288/.419/.569 with 41 homers, 109 RBI and 128 runs scored for the Yankees in 2024.

A majority of "MLB team executives and baseball insiders" surveyed by ESPN believe that the New York Yankees will sign Juan Soto to the second largest contract in the history of MLB free agency.

Out of 18 people surveyed, 11 predicted that Soto would receive more than $600 million on his next contract, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Of those survey respondents, 12 predicted that Soto would sign with the Yankees, while four guessed the New York Mets and two chose the Toronto Blue Jays.

"The message we heard from our insiders was clear: The Yankees don't let stars walk. That happens to other teams," Rogers wrote.

Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year to mark the largest deal in MLB history. The Yankees already hold the second-largest contract in the league after signing Aaron Judge to a $360 million deal before the 2023 season.

Several MLB executives expressed confidence that the Yankees would do whatever it takes to retain Soto after he led the AL with 128 runs last season.

One "smaller market" executive told Rogers he doubted the Yankees would allow Soto to walk: "Do you think George Steinbrenner would allow one of the best players in the world to leave? I know the Dodgers are the new Yankees, but he's in pinstripes now."

Another executive told Rogers, "I think Brian Cashman will show ownership just how valuable he is to their lineup."

The comments echoed a quote from another anonymous executive from an AL team shared on Monday by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

"It's the Yankees or the Mets," the executive told Feinsand. "He knows the Yankees well after spending a year there, and Steve Cohen has enough money to give him whatever he wants if he decides he wants him badly enough. It's tough for me to see Soto winding up anywhere else."

The Yankees traded for Soto ahead of the 2024 season as a team in need of a left-handed batter.

Soto more than lived up to expectations, batting .288 and marking his highest on-base percentage since 2021 at .419.

He improved his slash line to .327/.469/.633 through 14 postseason games to help the Yankees reach the World Series, where he played a key role in the club's Game 4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Soto has already met with the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox in free agency, per Feinsand.

According to Feinsand, the Dodgers have also scheduled talks with Soto, while the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays could also set up a meeting.

Soto, who just turned 26, has said he hopes to sign his next contract with a winning team (h/t MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.) That could make both the Yankees and Mets, two of the final four teams left in this year's run to the World Series, potential contenders to sign him— but it sounds like league executives are expecting Soto to stay in the Bronx rather than move to Queens.

Having already met with the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees finally got their chance to sit down Juan Soto as the superstar slugger continues to go through the free-agent process to determine his next destination.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Soto's meeting with the Yankees went "very well" as he is scheduled to speak with the Los Angeles Dodgers next.

It would be weird if Soto's in-person meeting with the Yankees didn't go well considering he spent the 2024 season playing for them.

There are also plenty of negotiating tactics being employed by Soto's agent Scott Boras to make sure everyone knows all of these meetings are going well.

Soto's meeting with the Mets went "very well" when he spoke with owner Steve Cohen and other members of the front office last week. He came away from his visits with the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays impressed by what he heard.

Soto also plans to speak with the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Heyman, though a date for the meeting hasn't been set yet.

This isn't to dismiss the Yankees—or any of the other teams in the mix—because it's certainly much better to have had a good meeting than one where Soto may not have been engaged.

Heyman did note the "perception" is the Yankees have at least a slight edge on the rest of the field because Soto enjoyed his first season in the Bronx.

The Dodgers' interest in Soto might simply be a way to get other teams to increase their offers. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Nov. 12 that the 2024 World Series champs "won't chase" after Soto in free agency in part because his defensive limitations would cause a logjam with Shohei Ohtani plugged in at designated hitter for the long-term future.

But Passan did explain the Dodgers "would gladly" consider Soto if his market were to be unexpectedly soft.

Given the number of heavyweight teams already involved in talks with Soto, it seems unlikely that scenario will play out. The expectation is his contract floor is 10 years and $500 million.

It can be reasonably argued that of the teams interested in Soto, none of them needs him more than the Yankees. He was one of the main driving forces in their lineup all season and throughout the playoffs during their run to the World Series.

A four-time All-Star, Soto hit .288/.419/.569 with a career-high 41 homers in 157 games for the Yankees in 2024. He is a finalist for the AL MVP award, along with Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr., that will be handed out on Thursday.

As teams continue to vie for New York Yankees star Juan Soto, Mets owner Steve Cohen is raising the stakes, willing to offer $50 million more than what other teams are proposing, according to YES Network's Michael Kay.

Kay also believes the Yankees will not approach the $660 million, 15-year deal that Carlos Baerga mentioned was on the table.

Soto has previously mentioned he wants to choose a team that demonstrates "how much they want me," according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

The Mets recently met with Soto, and Heyman noted the meeting "went extremely well," with the team making a "big production" and being "very detailed" in their approach.

One general manager previously mentioned Soto will target a record-setting 15-year contract, likely surpassing Aaron Judge's $40 million annual salary, the highest for a position player and possibly exceeding the $43.3 million record held by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, per Heyman.

The 26-year-old capped off last season with his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and Silver Slugger award, recording a .288/.419/.569 slash line and setting a career high with 41 home runs.