Yankees Preparing Loaded Backup Plan if $600 Million Juan Soto Walks Away
Plan A for the New York Yankees is to secure Juan Soto with a contract likely exceeding $600 million. After finalizing a deal with Soto, the Yankees would shift their attention to more cost-effective players like Walker Buehler and Christian Walker to address other roster gaps.
Plan B, however, is less straightforward. What happens if Soto doesn’t land in New York? How would owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman respond?
The answer, while not entirely predictable, is clear in approach: the Yankees would aim to acquire as much top-tier talent as possible, regardless of specific needs.
“The Yankees recently engaged in discussions with star free-agent pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, along with other prominent players,” Heyman reported. “However, their primary focus remains on Soto, and they have not extended offers to these pitchers, who may only factor into their Plan B if Soto signs with the Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, or another mystery team.”
Surprisingly, New York’s interest in starting pitchers has emerged, despite already having five or six MLB-ready starters. Still, the Yankees lack the dominant rotation they desire.
A contingency plan for missing out on Soto could take many forms. The Yankees seem poised to bolster their infield, outfield, bullpen, and possibly their starting rotation, creating potential league-wide chaos when Soto chooses his destination.
Additionally, reports indicate the Yankees held a Zoom meeting with starting pitcher Blake Snell this week, likely as part of their backup strategy. However, Snell ultimately signed a five-year, $182 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.