The New York Yankees and their fans found themselves in a worst-case scenario Sunday night.
The Bronx Bombers didn’t only lose Juan Soto, one of the best players in baseball who played a leading role in the club reaching the 2024 World Series. The Yankees also were forced to watch the generational outfielder move to a different New York neighborhood, as Soto reportedly latched on with the Mets.
Steve Cohen’s club was viewed as a frontrunner for Soto’s services from the outset of free agency. But according to SNY’s Andy Martino, it wasn’t until the 11th hour when the Mets snuck past the Yankees in the race to sign the 26-year-old.
“The Yankees were in the lead for Soto all through the process, through the weekend and late afternoon today. Steve Cohen came from the top rope very late and got it done,” Martino posted to X.
Hal Steinbrenner and company reportedly halted Soto negotiations at $760 million, $5 million less than the total value the four-time All-Star fetched from the Mets. But the Mets significantly outdid their rival in the average annual value department, which might have sealed the deal for Soto.
All things considered, Subway Series for the foreseeable future will have even more tension than before.
