Juan Soto has plenty of potential suitors as his highly anticipated free agency hit a fever pitch, but almost none of them should be the reason he leaves the Yankees.
That’s according to ESPN’s “First Take” commentator Stephen A. Smith.
The Soto sweepstakes has been a conversation in just about every corner of the sports media world, and that includes ESPN’s top debate show.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo joined the program Wednesday for his weekly hit, and the conversation picked up when the longtime radio host said that he believes, when he went through all the logical bidders, that the Red Sox will end up with Soto.
“This is wacky and I have no inside information, I think he might sign with the Red Sox,” Russo said. “I have a funny feeling.”
That did not sit well with Smith, particularly over the fact Russo didn’t have any sourcing to back up his feelings.
“I don’t appreciate you bringing that up if you don’t have inside information,” a tense Smith said. “Don’t be trying to jinx stuff! Don’t do that.”
Then, Smith said, in his belief, there’s really only one reason for Soto to even consider leaving The Bronx, and that is for the World Series champion Dodgers.
“The point I’m making to you is this: There is only one excuse on the planet Earth for Juan Soto to leave the New York Yankees, and that’s if you go to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There is no other reason to leave the Yankees.”
Soto, who is expected to land a deal north of $600 million, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman, also has been courted by the Mets and the riches of Steve Cohen, but Smith said there’s no reason for the All-Star outfielder to leave the Yankees for the “fair-weather stepchild” of New York.
At the of end the long diatribe, Smith implored Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to pick up some pitching to help improve the team.
Coincidentally enough, the Yankees had meetings with both lefty Max Fried and righty Corbin Burnes this week as they await Soto’s decision, The Post reported Wednesday.
