The World Series is still going on. I realize it. But all eyes in baseball are on Juan Soto and trying to get a handle on his impending free agency.

It’s possible that Soto, 26, could be one of the best free agents in baseball history, if not for the name Shohei Ohtani. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if his potential contract exceeded $500 million and it wouldn’t surprise some if that total exceeded even $600 million. Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, will control the offseason and have no shortage of teams — particularly big-market franchises — pursuing his services on one of baseball’s richest contracts.

There’s already a lot of speculation surrounding Soto’s impending free agency. Let’s go ahead and decipher what’s real and what’s not.

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Each report on the YankeesThe desire to re-sign Soto is accurate. After all, how could they not want Soto back?

Soto has proven in one year that he thrives in the Bronx. He was one of the best players in baseball and arguably formed the best duo alongside Aaron Judge. In 157 games in New York, Soto hit .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI while posting a 178 OPS+, the second best of his career.

Right now, the Yankees should be considered the early favorite to sign Soto. It’s a place he loves. The Yankees love having him on Judge’s side. They parted ways with a number of prospects to acquire him from the San Diego Padres last winter. And by retaining Soto, it would allow the Yankees to maintain the World Series window for years to come.

Plus, it’s the New York Yankees. They should never outbid a player they like and want to sign. Losing him in free agency would be an organizational failure of epic proportions.

If the Yankees don’t re-sign Soto, the most realistic option is for him to go to New York Mets.

If there’s a player Steve Cohen wants, he’ll go get him. His wallet is deeper than that of any baseball owner and he can outbid anyone for his services. It’s that simple. And Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has made it clear he could be involved in bidding for any player in free agency.

This means Soto will be firmly on the Mets radar and a realistic possibility. It wouldn’t surprise anyone in baseball if Soto’s draw ultimately came down to the Yankees and Mets.

The Dodgers should be in the running for Soto, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Do I buy this? Yes. I’m just skeptical how realistic their chances of signing Soto are.

Shohei Ohtani’s contract with the Dodgers — 10 years, $700 million with $680 million deferred — allows them to remain aggressive in pursuing high-end free agents. Soto is a generational talent and clearly the Dodgers love having elite players all over the roster. Soto is friendly with a few players on the Dodgers roster, as evidenced by his discussions with Ohtani and others during the All-Star Game.

But Soto loves playing in New York, where he is closer to his family in the Dominican Republic. It could prove difficult to get Soto to agree to a contract with heavily deferred money and with the contracts of Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts all containing deferred money, which could create an imbalance in the locker room of the Dodgers.

I fully expect the Dodgers to make some calls on Soto. I just don’t think he ends up in LA.

I always think that Philadelphia Phillies should not be overlooked in the Soto draw. Like the Dodgers, I don’t think the Phillies are the most likely destination. But this is a team I watch for a multitude of reasons.

Soto has relationships within the Phillies organization, having played with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. His hitting coach at Washington, Kevin Long, is the hitting coach at Philadelphia and the two have a strong relationship. The Phillies, especially owner John Middleton and Dave Dombrowski, love star players and Soto fits exactly that.

I think the Phillies are the sleepers in the Soto sweepstakes and are a team that is absolutely worth watching. After all, they made a lucrative $300 million offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto last winter. They have the funds for a mega-deal. Who said they couldn’t do one again in Soto?