Juan Soto Rumors: Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner to Meet with Star amid Mets Buzz
November 8, 2024
As New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto prepares to make his free agency decision, club owner Hal Steinbrenner is reportedly planning to visit the star.
According to Mark W. Sanchez and Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Steinbrenner is expected to fly out to Southern California to meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras in "about a week and a half."
On Thursday, the New York Post's Mike Puma reported that New York Mets owner Steve Cohen was also traveling to meet with the outfielder "next week."
The Mets and Yankees are far from the only potential suitors for the 26-year-old. Heyman and Sanchez noted on Friday that the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have all shown interest in Soto. The Yankees' "biggest threat" will likely be Cohen's team, though.
Soto and Steinbrenner met in July to discuss his experiences throughout his first year with the team ahead of his impending free agency, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
"It's always good to see [an owner] coming over at least to say hi, see how we're doing, what we have in mind, this and that," Soto said about the meeting, per Kuty. "It's great to have an owner that really cares for players."
The four-time All-Star's first season with the Bronx Bombers was undoubtedly a success. After he was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres during the 2023 offseason, he hit .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs during his 2024 campaign.
Soto also made a strong impression in the postseason, recording four homers in 14 games while helping the Yankees make an appearance in the Fall Classic.
The Mets will likely make a strong push to add Soto to a lineup that already features four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and breakout third baseman Mark Vientos. Cohen also has a decision to make regarding free-agent slugger Pete Alonso, who racked up a team-high 34 homers in 2024.
As Soto prepares to converse with Steinbrenner and Cohen, the meetings with both owners could heavily sway his final decision.