Sal: Signing Juan Soto more important for Hal Steinbrenner than Steve Cohen

As the Yankees, Mets, and other teams have reportedly submitted their initial offers to Juan Soto, Sal Licata says landing the free agent superstar is much more important for Hal Steinbrenner than Steve Cohen.

Sure, Cohen is the richest owner in the league, but Sal says Steinbrenner is tasked with keeping a superstar in the Bronx and not losing him to a crosstown rival, and losing Soto to the Mets would be far more disastrous for the Yanks than the Mets suffering through more of the same with a big-name free agent choosing the established brand in the Bronx.

"This is about the owners, head to head...I don't think the Yankees can afford to lose him," Sal said. "As much as I believe Steve Cohen will get him and needs to get him, I think it's more important that Hal Steinbrenner retains Juan Soto with the Yankees.

"If Hal Steinbrenner doesn't bring back Soto, they are losing the player they traded for that took them to a World Series...if Steve Cohen doesn't get him, it would hurt, but not as much as it would hurt Hal Steinbrenner."

Steinbrenner has made it clear that he doesn't have the same free-spending tendencies as his father, but Sal says he cannot lose arguably the biggest free agent in league history to the Mets, whereas the Mets don't have as much at stake, even if Sal badly wants Soto in Queens.

"If they lose him, it's gonna be because of money," Sal said. "That's not Yankee-like, especially if they lost him to the Mets. So, to me, Hal has more on the line.

"I think Hal needs to sign Juan Soto more than Steve Cohen."