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    • Did Juan Soto play the last game for the Yankees? Here’s what he said after the World Series
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    Did Juan Soto play the last game for the Yankees? Here’s what he said after the World Series

    Umito Posted on

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    NEW YORK — Juan Soto lingered on the bench a few feet from the dugout railing.

    The star outfielder still had a batting helmet secured on his head and a bat in his hands as a sea of ​​Dodger blue crashed near the mound.

    The dream had ended for Soto and the Yankees in a crushing 7-6 loss in Game 5 of the World Series Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. As the Dodgers celebrated their eighth World Series title, Soto let the emotions take hold.

    “A lot of emotions going through my mind, a lot of things, but definitely a little bit of frustration,” Soto said. “But then I really realized how far we had come, how well we played as a team and how much we accomplished. I’m just really grateful to God for getting me to where I am am and for helping me in everything I did this year.

    When Soto was traded to the Yankees by the Padres in a seven-player deal last December, there were visions of grandeur. It was a trade intended to take the Yankees to the promised land. Instead, the project was a few victories away from becoming a full-fledged dream.

    And with that loss, the world-class outfielder was suddenly forced to face a new destiny as his free agent bid presented itself.

    A vision with Juan Soto and now a harsh reality

    All along, the looming reality was that Soto’s pinstripe excellence could be a one-time deal for the Yankees, destining him to enter free agency for the first time after the 2024 season.

    After Wednesday night’s brutal outing, including a five-run collapse, Soto was forced to confront the idea that the loss could be his last game with the Yankees.

    “You never know. Ultimately we’ll see where we are,” Soto said. “It’s definitely a tough game to be my last, but I’m really happy with what we’ve accomplished as a team and how far we’ve come. We definitely want to be the last team standing, but things happen.”

    While other free agents, like Alex Verdugo, have made it clear that they “want to come back in pinstripes,” Soto has made it more clear that he will keep his options open as the gem of the free agency class in 2024.

    “I’m really happy with the city, the team, how these guys performed, but ultimately we’ll see,” Soto said. “We will look at every situation, every offer we receive and make a decision accordingly.”

    Soto did not set a timetable for his decision, saying it depends on how far teams want to go with his availability and how much back-and-forth there will be with teams seeking his services.

    Strong reviews and a Yankee pitch

    Yankee manager Aaron Boone said Soto had a “flair for the dramatic” during his first season in the Bronx.

    It started with a pitch to the plate in the ninth inning that helped secure an Opening Day victory for the Yankees against the Astros and continued throughout the postseason, including his iconic three-run blast in the 10th inning that helped them overtake the Guardians in the American League. Championship Series.

    “I think everyone in this room wants him back,” Aaron Judge said. “Plus you can look at the stats and what he did on the field, I think that was the type of leader he was in that clubhouse. He just does a lot of little things that people don’t notice and who really does, one of the best players, if not the best player, in the game.”

    Asked what advice he would give to Soto, Giancarlo Stanton simply replied: “Stay with us.”

    In his first season with the Yankees, Soto sent his value — in unimaginable ways — skyward under the bright lights of the Bronx. He formed one of Major League Baseball’s most feared offensive duos alongside Judge and finished with a .989 OPS, including career highs in home runs (41) and runs scored (128), all adding 109 RBIs and 29 doubles.

    As he enters a full season at age 26, Soto is expected to rival, if not surpass, the $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani received from the Dodgers as part of his 10-year deal entering 2024. Being at the beginning of its peak, Soto’s deal will likely be signed for several years.

    “He’s a great player — and just talking to him before he got here, he was a good person to us, too,” Boone said. “It was fun getting to know his family a little bit. I consider him family now. He was so easy to deal with. Just someone I have a lot of admiration for and a lot of respect for.

    There appear to be many suitors for Soto’s services, primarily crosstown with the Mets and Steve Cohen’s deep pockets. But Soto had a direct opportunity to go the Yankee way during one of their best seasons in recent memory.

    “Everyone wants to be part of a winning team. That’s one of the biggest things you look up to,” Soto said. “You want to be a part of it, even if you don’t make it to the last team standing, you want to be a part of it.”

    Granted, that’s not all that will come into play, and Soto acknowledged he wants to see where his value stands before making a decision.

    When the time comes for him to make that decision, the Yankees hope they’ve done everything they can to prove they’re a good long-term fit.

    Umito
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