The New York Yankees made the biggest splash of the offseason so far by landing slugger Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres for a package of players. The Yankees had an extremely disappointing season in 2023 and are looking to avoid another one in 2024.
MLB Insider Buster Olney joined the Audacy original podcast “Baseball Isn’t Boring” and gave his take on both the Yankees in 2024 and the potential of Soto signing an extension in New York.
“They had to do it. I think the Yankees are under a lot of pressure after a disastrous year,” Olney said (8:38 in player above). “They’re pushing all the chips in the middle of the table for 2024 which is Aaron Boone’s last year under contract as manager of the Yankees.”
Last season was the first time the Yankees missed the playoffs since 2016. After winning 99 games and reaching the ALC in 2022, the Yankees finished just one game over .500 in 2023.
Adding Soto, a 25-year-old outfielder with a career .946 OPS, should help the Yankees reach the playoffs again.
“He’s perfect in terms of being a left-handed hitter for that lineup. He and his agent Scott Boras made a big deal with the Padres that he needs to bat third,” Olney continued. “So you’re going to have Aaron Judge hitting two and Juan Soto hitting three, I would assume, and that’s going to be pretty impressive at the top of the lineup. A lot of pressure on the opposing pitchers right from the get-go.”
Soto seems like the perfect fit in New York, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s committed to the Yankees long-term.
“People have wondered would he sign an extension with the Yankees sometime this winter. I think there’s little-to-no chance of that,” Olney said. “I think he’s looking to have a launch year and become next winter’s Shohei Ohtani.”
Ohtani is on the verge of signing one of the most expensive contracts in all of professional sports. A 26-year-old Soto with at least one World Series ring and nearly 200 home runs in seven seasons would command several suitors as well.