By Ricky K.
Original Date: 12/20/24
Hello sports fans, and welcome back to the IE Sports Radio Blog. Frank Sinatra once sang that he wanted to be a part of New York, New York. For 26-year-old outfield superstar Juan Soto, he now gets to join the list of players who have played for both New York MLB franchises. Soto, who spent last season helping the Yankees reach the world series, has signed a 15-year, $765 million deal to take his talents from the Bronx to Queens and play for the Mets.
Soto’s free agency was one that has never been seen in New York, and it came with an outcome that has never happened. The perceived little brother finally outbid the big brother and took away a player that was one of their own, even if it was only for a year. That was the dream for Mets fans once Steve Cohen became the owner of the franchise a year ago. With Cohen’s wealth, the Mets finally had the opportunity to compete in the same financial playground as the Yankees.
Soto was the perfect player for them to acquire because he was in his prime and could be the face of a franchise that is trying to not only build a winner, but a sustainable winner as well. With Scott Boras as his agent, Soto was always going to take the most money and the Mets were able to offer him the possibility of making $805 million if he stays for the duration of the contract. You could argue that no player deserves that kind of money in any sport, but when you have two New York franchises competing for the same player, anything could happen.
Even though the Yankees are the reigning American League champions, the Mets look like the franchise that is heading in the right direction. They made the NLCS in 2024 in a year where the expectation was maybe finishing above .500, they have a perennial MVP candidate in Francisco Lindor, a rising young star in Mark Vientos, and a president of baseball operations in David Stearns that knows how to find value to go with the big expenditures.
On the Yankees side, it’s rare you see them miss out on a player they really want to go after. Hal Steinbrenner went above the comfort zone in terms of reportedly offering 16 years and $760 million, but in the end, it was not enough. The Yankees usually get the stars they want, but they now have to watch Soto in their city for the next 15 years.
Soto provided the Yankees some great memories, such as his game/pennant winning home run in Game 5 of the ALCS. He was entertaining night in and night out with his personality and his ability to shine in bright moments. While the Yankees gave up a good amount of young pitching to get him, they did get a World Series appearance. Unfortunately, they came up short of their ultimate goal. Now, Mets fans get to have the last laugh for a little while. They know what direction their franchise is aiming for, and there is a clear plan from ownership to the coaching staff and players.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have to find Plan B and find it quickly. The last time they had to come up with a Plan B was when Robinson Cano left in free agency for the Seattle Mariners. That plan of Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, and Masahiro Tanaka ended up being a failure and set the franchise back to some degree. Yes, the American League is weaker than the National League, but Soto leaving definitely puts the Yankees a step back in their quest for a 28th World Series championship.
Soto is the perfect player to rejuvenate the Subway Series rivalry. He enjoys being in the spotlight and thrives on being booed, which will happen when he goes to Yankee Stadium in May wearing orange and blue. For a matchup that had lost luster in recent years, Soto will add drama and excitement. To add to Yankees fans woes, they have watched the Mets sign ex-Yankees over the last two off-season’s. Those players such as Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, and Clay Holmes know the culture Carlos Mendoza brings from his days as Aaron Boone’s bench coach with the Yankees.
Soto has become the new king in Queens and the Yankees will try to surround their king with more pieces on the proverbial baseball chess board. It’s safe to say the Yankee fan will not only be monitoring the action in the Bronx, but their eyes will be in another borough as well for 2025 and beyond. Tune in to New York State of Sports, hosted by Ricky K, on Mondays at 12 PM EST/9 AM PST. Be sure to check out all of our shows here on our network, as well as our sponsors Planet Jerky Premium Brisket Beef Jerky and Seal the Deal Wax Seals. Thank you for reading, and we will see you next time on IE Sports Radio; your direct feed for ALL that is sports.
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