Juan Soto set to meet with Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees in latest free agency sitdown

After already gathering with a fewer different suitors, Juan Soto volition perceive the Yankees out.

The Bombers, led by a contingent that includes Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone, were scheduled to conscionable with the close fielder and his agent, Scott Boras, successful Southern California connected Monday, arsenic archetypal reported by the New York Post. Boras’ bureau is based retired of Newport Beach.

Soto, the Yankees’ apical offseason priority, is already acquainted with the team, arsenic the escaped cause superstar spent the 2024 play successful the Bronx aft being acquired successful a blockbuster woody with the Padres past December. The 26-year-old thrived successful pinstripes, slashing .288/.419/.569 with 41 homers and 109 RBI portion hitting successful beforehand of Aaron Judge, the presumptive American League MVP, each season.

Soto besides seemed to mostly bask his clip with the Yankees, fitting into the clubhouse and fostering an affectionate narration with fans.

“This spot was truly special,” Soto said aft the Dodgers bushed the Yankees successful the World Series. “It’s been a blast for me. I’ve been truly happy. Definitely if I’m present oregon not, I’ll beryllium truly blessed for the teammates that I person and the radical that I got to cognize successful here. This was a truly peculiar group. But astatine the extremity of the day, we volition spot what’s going to happen.”

Boras added that Soto was “really comfortable” playing successful New York and that helium enjoyed his Yankees experience, though that doesn’t mean the four-time All-Star is staying put.

Last week, Boone said that helium would thin connected his ain familiarity and narration with Soto during the Yankees’ meeting, though the manager didn’t person a circumstantial income transportation planned.

“I bash cognize him,” said Boone, who played an progressive portion successful Judge’s escaped bureau a fewer offseasons ago. “Let it beryllium integrated and fto the gathering spell wherever it needs to go. I’m definite possibly he’ll person questions present that helium is simply a escaped cause oregon privation to code definite things. I’m conscionable going to spell successful determination and beryllium myself and assured successful my narration with Juan and the quality to person honorable conversations with him and certainly, hopefully cement the constituent of however invaluable and however overmuch we deliberation of him, not lone arsenic a player, but arsenic a person. I got to unrecorded that with him this year. That would beryllium my income pitch. Of course, however overmuch we privation him, but fto the gathering spell wherever it goes.”

Soto, an MVP finalist himself, is looking for a woody that volition wage him astatine slightest half-a-billion dollars, rather perchance overmuch more. He has already met with 3 Yankees rivals, the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Mets, arsenic helium besides seeks a location and a accordant contender for the foreseeable future.

The Mets, funded by Steve Cohen’s heavy pockets, are seen arsenic the Yankees’ biggest contention for the slugger.

“They privation to win,” Cashman antecedently said of the Mets. “They’re successful a ample marketplace with us. They had a sensation of occurrence this year, and they privation to determination the needle adjacent much forward.”

While it’s unclear however agelong Soto’s escaped bureau volition last, the Yankees person different needs this winter. The squad has question marks astatine archetypal base, 2nd base, successful some country outfield spots and successful the bullpen.

How the Yankees capable those holes — and walk their wealth — volition partially beryllium connected what Soto does, arsenic Steinbrenner has voiced his tendency for a payroll nether $300 million.

“It’s each astir the teams and however acold they privation to instrumentality it,” Soto said erstwhile asked astir the anticipation of a lingering escaped agency. “And however overmuch they privation to spell backmost and forth. I consciousness similar that’s 1 of the biggest things, due to the fact that I’m here. They are the ones who person to travel implicit to me. We’re going to beryllium waiting till idiosyncratic comes over.”