HOT NEWS: Juan Soto makes clear what he wants from next team with Yankees future still murky

LOS ANGELES — Juan Soto authored what might have been the greatest offensive season of a great offensive career thus far.

His 41 home runs were a career high.

His ALCS-winning home run in Cleveland was one of those forever moments that is a reminder of why he is in pinstripes.

But to truly make his mark on the Yankees, he believes he will have to do more.

“I have one more step to go,” Soto said Thursday, the eve of Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. “You can be the best player, you can do whatever you want. But at the end of the day, people remember you if you win a World Series and what you did for that team.”

Nationals fans will remember Soto for the magical 2019 ride to a championship — and for letting him slip away.

Yankees fans hope that Soto, about as potent a hired gun as baseball has seen, becomes more than that.

Yet again, Soto danced his way out of questions concerning a future that will make him a wildly rich individual.

He said the impending free agency, which likely will see him become the owner of the second-largest contract in baseball history (behind LA’s Shohei Ohtani), has not weighed on him in part because super-agent Scott Boras is handling everything.

By all accounts, including Soto’s, the Yankees have ensured that the pending free agent has enjoyed his stay in The Bronx.

Soto thanked his teammates, coaches and a culture that has made him feel welcome.

“It’s been one of the most fun years I’ve ever played,” said Soto, who turns 26 on Friday. “This team has been unbelievable. It’s just amazing how we get along together, how we have fun in the moment..”

Will that fun help tilt the odds in the Yankees’ favor?

Would he value the enjoyment over the financial bottom line?


Follow The Post’s coverage of the Yankees in the postseason:

  • Aaron Judge can rid himself of Dodger Stadium and playoff demons in one fell swoop
  • Sherman: Gerrit Cole pitching for his Yankees — and baseball — legacy
  • Heyman: Dodgers had to take a chance the Yankees couldn’t stomach
  • Yankees outfielder has extra World Series motivation: ‘I was upset’

Soto did not answer directly but made it clear he wants to play where he can win.

“Definitely every player wants to be happy with where they’re at,” Soto said. “At the end of the day, whenever you win, you’re really going to be happy.”

Happiness probably comes easier if the fan base has fallen in love with you. Fans in the right-field bleachers — and elsewhere — often have chanted “Re-sign Soto” in pleas to the Yankees front office, and probably to the player, too.

Juan Soto takes batting practice during Media Day on Oct. 24, 2024, the eve of the 2024 MLB World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST

“I’m really thankful for them,” said Soto, who added he appreciates that the fans have had his back all year.

Virtually everything in his only guaranteed season in The Bronx has lived up to the cloud-level expectations.

For the fairy-tail ending, though, Soto would need to deliver on the biggest stage, which arrives Friday.

The Yankees publicly have not placed any pressure on a Soto commitment, manager Aaron Boone again saying that thoughts concerning Soto’s future are “for another day.”

“When the time comes and this is all over,” Aaron Judge said, “he’ll make the right decision.”

Related Posts

BRONX BLOCKBUSTER BUZZ: A former MLB GM drops a thunderbolt prediction that the Yankees could ship Spencer Jones to Miami in a jaw-dropping push for a Cy Young ace, instantly turning the rumor mill into a five-alarm blaze. The idea sounds insane, perfect, and terrifying all at once—an all-in gamble that could redraw the AL landscape overnight. Now the entire baseball world is hanging on one question: will New York actually pull off the kind of trade that rewrites legacies..ll

New York could add a big starting pitching upgrade at the cost of Spencer Jones.

BRONX FUTURE SHIFT: The picture sharpens as a possible landing spot for Spencer Jones comes into focus right after fresh Yankees ace trade rumors shake up their long-term blueprint. The sudden clarity adds a dramatic twist to New York’s roster plans as the spotlight swings toward the rising star’s next chapter. So is this the direction they’re really heading?..ll

The Yankees have reportedly called the Marlins recently about Sandy Alcantara, which would represent a perfect Spencer Jones trade fit.

RIVALRY FIRESTORM: The tension erupts as Mets pitcher Devin Williams throws a bold social-media jab straight at Yankees fans, instantly igniting the New York baseball feud to a whole new level. The unexpected swipe sends shockwaves through both sides as the rivalry heats up ahead of the season. So what set off this explosive shot?..ll

Mets’ reliever Devin Williams recently took a slight jab at Yankees fans via a social media post that you must read.

BRONX SHOCKWAVE: A stunning twist hits the offseason as whispers grow louder that a Yankees trade for Fernando Tatis Jr. is “not impossible”, cracking open a door no one expected New York to even touch. The mere idea of a superstar shakeup sends the entire baseball world into overdrive as the Yankees size up what a move like this could mean for their future. So is this the blockbuster they’re actually lining up?..ll

The Athletic reports a Fernando Tatis Jr. trade to the Yankees isn’t impossible, opening the door for a potential blockbuster.

BRONX STORM ALERT: Tension spikes as the Yankees roll into the Winter Meetings with swirling rumors hinting at moves that could flip the entire AL picture overnight. Front-office chatter grows louder as New York circles potential shock additions that might redefine their offseason blueprint. So what bombshell are they cooking up?..ll

Three needs this week; closing the outfield gap; breaking down the Contemporary Era

METSWAVE BREAKOUT: The Mets lock in reliever Williams on a massive $51M, three-year deal, whispers erupt about how this move reshapes their late-game firepower, and now the entire league is watching to see what New York unleashes next..ll Read more 👇👇👇

Devin Williams and the Mets finalized a $51 million, three-year contract on Wednesday that locks in a critical late-inning reliever as New York rebuilds its bullpen this offseason.