PORT ST. LUCIE — We will look back on Juan Soto getting away as one of the most important positives in recent Yankees history.
Not because Soto isn’t a great hitter. Because he is. Through an age-26 season, Soto is sixth all time in homers and 12th in OPS-plus behind 10 Hall of Famers, plus Albert Pujols, who just might be a unanimous choice upon eligibility in 2028.
The Yankees had a lot of needs, even after going to the 2024 World Series with Soto, and retaining him at $750 million was going to choke off those other areas in Hal Steinbrenner’s budget, notably in adding someone like Max Fried and probably Cody Bellinger, too. The 2024 Yankees got a favorable postseason draw to win the AL pennant and I believe the club that lost in the division series last season was more well-rounded and better, and that the 2026 squad sets up similarly.
We may say the same about this past Mets offseason. That as painful as it was to so many fans to see Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz (plus Jeff McNeil) exit, breaking up notably a positional core that had not accomplished enough together and was going to age beyond their prime simultaneously if retained was an agonizing but correct decision, short- and long-term.
