Donovan West, Editor-in-Chief
@Dwest_courant
For a couple of hours on Monday night, the world seemed to be falling apart for Yankees fans. Their past, present, and future had left. Their generational 26-year-old superstar had turned on them. But, most importantly, their crosstown rival won the war. New York baseball seemed to be on the precipice of a colossal shift of power, the storied pinstripes replaced by Grimace, as Juan Soto was a New York Met.
Yet, reflecting on the situation a couple of days later, it’s easy to make the case that the Yankees dodged a bullet by missing out on Juan Soto. The upwards of $800 million that Soto signed for is objectively an overpay. The contract the Mets gave out signs Soto at his highest value, coming off of the best year of his career in the biggest market in baseball. Soto is a negative defender who likely will be relegated to the DH spot in a couple of years. There is no doubt that his offense is incredible and inevitable, yet over $50 million is a lot to pay for just a bat.
If you watched the fifth inning of game five of the World Series last year, you would know that the Yankees’ issues are far greater than just a bat. The Yankees lack basic defensive fundamentals. They lack a winning mindset. They lack baseball IQ. They lack athleticism and speed. As good as Juan Soto is, last year, he couldn’t solve these problems that have plagued the pinstripes for over a decade. The Yankees’ ugly collapse in the World Series proved that one player isn’t enough to reinvent a culture. A monumental and collaborative effort is needed—a collaborative effort worth something like $800 million.
Yesterday, the Yankees’ bounceback began. Their first move after losing Juan Soto was giving starting pitcher Max Fried $218 million, the most guaranteed money for a lefty pitcher in baseball history. Fried has a career 3.07 ERA, has won 3 Gold Gloves, and was a member of the 2021 World Series-winning Atlanta Braves. A top-three pitching rotation of Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon is one of the best in baseball as the Yankees continue to invest in starting pitching.
So, what’s next? The Yankees will probably sign 3-time gold glove first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year deal worth around $60 million. They will then likely trade for former MVP, gold glove winner, and 2020 World Series winner Cody Bellinger to be a dangerous lefty bat in their outfield. Their offseason will then be completed with bench bats, and quality relief pitchers will be found to build one of the best bullpens in the MLB.
That sounds like a decent offseason to me.
With all of these moves, the Yankees will enter next season as favorites to win a weak American League. Their defense, athleticism, and overall culture will be better. Walker, Bellinger, and Fried will bring a refreshing sense of talented simplicity that will greatly help the Yankees on their quest to win their 28th championship. Now, it likely won’t come next season as the Dodgers and other National League teams will be far more talented, but the foundation will be there. 2026 options like Kyle Tucker and Vlad Guerrero will be available, and the Yankees can build a team that balances their depth and elite star power.
All of this is to say that losing Juan Soto may not be a bad thing. The Yankees are still the Yankees, and the future is still bright.
