The Juan Soto sweepstakes is down to five teams that have offers on the table to the Yankees’ free agent outfielder, a person with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media on Monday.
The Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers and Blue Jays presented contract offers to agent Scott Boras late last week, the person said.
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Numerous reports that indicated first offers are coming this week are not true, the person added.
The next step will be negotiations between the clubs and Boras.
All five teams making offers recently met in Los Angeles with Soto, who is telling former teammates that he’s enjoying the process.
The person didn’t know the money offered or term of any of the offers, but predicted Soto would sign for more than the record $700 million that Shohei Ohtani received from the Dodgers last winter when he was a free agent. That deal was heavily back-ended with deferred money.
Soto is believed to be seeking a 15-year deal worth more than $700 million. Ohtani’s contract was for 10 seasons with $680 million deferred. It’s believed that Soto isn’t interested in deferred money.
The Yankees met with Soto last Monday. Owner Hal Steinbrenner, team president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, special assistant to the GM Omar Minaya and manager Aaron Boone attended the meeting to make the Yankees’ pitch.
NJ Advance Media baseball columnist Bob Klapisch reported the meeting went well, and the Yankees expressed their willingness to be competitive with everyone in the field, including the Mets. Steinbrenner stressed the franchise’s advantages over rivals — going to the 2024 World Series, Soto’s relationship with AL MVP Aaron Judge and Yankee Stadium’s hitter-friendly dimensions in right field.
At last week’s owners meetings, Steinbrenner acknowledged he’s feeling pressure from Yankees fans to re-sign Soto, who finished third in the AL MVP voting after having a great debut season in the Bronx. The slugger batted .288 average with a career-high 41 homers, 109 walks and a .989 OPS.
Soto hit one of the most dramatic home runs in Yankees postseason history — a go-ahead, three-run 10th-inning blast against the Guardians in the fifth game of the ALCS to propel the Bombers to the World Series. The Bombers were subsequently beaten by the Dodgers in five games.
Soto proved that he could handle the New York stage — and the postseason spotlight. The ticket buyers want him back.
“We listen to our fans,” Steinbrenner said. “I’ve got ears. I know what’s expected of me.”
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.