What can anyone do when their biggest selling point fails to impress? That’s something that the New York Yankees might have to worry about when pursuing Juan Soto after the World Series. Earlier, it was expected by many that a long postseason run and possible Fall Classic win could pivot Soto towards the Pinstripes, but that may not happen if one listens to a former executive.

Former Miami Marlins president David Samson recently discussed the huge impact of the World Series on Soto. Samson compared Juan Soto’s present situation with his Fall Classic opponent Freddie Freeman, who was once a part of the Atlanta Braves and perhaps never wanted to leave. But even after winning a World Series with the Braves, Freeman left them and that’s something that Samson feels can happen with Soto and New York Yankees too.

“Everyone’s saying if the Yankees win the World Series they have to re-sign Soto,” Samson said on his podcast. “Of course, I believe the Braves won the World Series in 2021, and then Freddie Freeman went to the Dodgers. So there is a world where the Yankees win the World Series and Soto doesn’t re-sign with them. There is no correlation between winning the World Series and then re-signing.” That could happen but then Freddie’s situation was a little different from Soto’s.

For instance, unlike Soto, Freeman was basically the face of the Atlanta Braves, and all indications were there that he wanted to remain with them until their offer came. The initial offer was quite low but the negotiations went on; and in a surprising turn of events (even for Freeman), the Braves traded for Matt Olson after the elongated talks with Freeman’s agent went nowhere. Freddie was so frustrated with his agency that he dumped it immediately after signing a deal with Dodgers. Although, that’s not something that will happen with Soto, so, even if Samson’s worries are genuine, there’s a small difference. But it doesn’t mean Soto’s free agency will be simple.

Juan Soto’s free agency could rival Shohei Ohtani at least on AAV

Some wild speculations have come up where Juan Soto can get a $700 million deal, but the chances of that happening in real are low. Simply because Ohtani’s brand value and two-way abilities were primary reasons for that deal. But for Juan Soto, the real advantage comes in his age – he’ll be 26 when entering his free agency, and rarely do such young players of Soto’s talent enter free agency at this age. That pretty much gives any team at least 10 years of peak performance from Soto, and who wouldn’t want that?

As a result, most experts believe that even if the $700 million amount is out of the question, Soto could break the AAV records. Even a deal like 14-year $600 million gives him an AAV of $42.8 million. That rivals the biggest in baseball and that’s exactly what Scott Boras and Soto would want. We’ve already seen from Soto’s dealings with the Nationals’ 15-year $440 million deal that the star wants more upfront money, so, expecting a deferral like Ohtani might not be a wise thing to do (still, never say never). As of now, the free agency of Juan Soto is shaping up to be a costly affair for his suitors, thus, any lethargic effort could get immediate repercussions. 

So, can the World Series make things easier for the Yankees? That is not a guarantee; even with the Bronx fans chanting “Re-sign Soto”,  there’s something that one needs to remember: At the end of the day, Juan Soto is a Scott Boras client and fans know what that means. Boras won’t compromise on his crown jewel’s price even when it’s coming from a team that may very well win the World Series with his client.