One of the biggest storylines in the world of baseball has been Juan Soto’s free agency. A player of his caliber in the open market is a rare sight. So it won’t be an overstretch to say that—everyone will have their eyes peeled on him. Moreover, the outfielder has been having a stellar season this year with the New York Yankees. Just at their game with the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park, he smashed a two-run homer. The team won 11-2 and is now making it to the playoffs with a stronghold. 

But the home run he did was also very special for Juan Soto, on a personal level. It was the 25-year-old’s last ballpark where he hadn’t yet done deep. This means that he has homered in all the 30 active MLB stadiums! “What a best way to go into free agency with all 30 ballparks checked (off) my list,” Juan Soto told media acknowledging his free agency for the first time. But while he might be looking on the positive side, his agent Scott Boras thinks this might impact the Yanks star for free agency deals. 

Boras says Juan Soto’s free agency might be tougher than Bryce Harper’s $330M deal

Scott Boras is possibly one of the most cut-throat agents in baseball. He has been in this line of work for years—so when he speaks, people listen. But his theory of why Juan Soto’s upcoming free agency could be tricker than the one he handled previously is surprising. Boras compared Soto’s situation to the massive $330 million contract he scored for Bryce Harper, one of his biggest negotiations ever. But Scott Boras thinks Soto’s will be tougher to handle than Harper’s.

Scott Boras highlighted the difference between the baseball greats, saying, “But here’s the problem with Juan Soto: When I did Bryce Harper’s contract — I focus on Bryce because he had over a 1.000 OPS in Philadelphia. I said, ‘I’m going to look at that with Juan.’ The problem is that 14 teams fit that mold. Juan is comfortable in a lot of places.” According to Scott, the Yankee star’s versatility will make it tough to narrow down his next home. But Boras might be also facing a little heat, a pressure! 

Boras has been under major public scrutiny over the years because of his choosing money over the team. Right now, Soto is doing more than a great at the Yankees. If Boras gets him out of there only because the Yanks cannot pay up, it might be a risk. Remember his fallout with Alex Rodriguez over the contracts he set? So, Boras for sure needs to tread carefully. And as far as Yankee and Soto go, the question is whether the New York team is ready to shell huge. 

Will the New York Yankees retain Juan Soto?

Juan Soto has been the diamond of the season for the New York Yankees. Sure Aaron Judge is the frontrunner, the probable MVP this season, and on pace to break his homer record. But Soto, together with Judge, has created magic. The duo became the third pair of Yankees teammates to hit 40 home runs in a season. And while they were compared with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig—they now proved that they are well worthy of the comparison with baseball greats.

So it’s obvious that the New York Yankees would want to keep Juan Soto. But the problem is whether they have the budget because Soto’s going to come at a price. And given he has Scott Boras, who is known to make the biggest deals–it’s confirmation enough. It is projected that Soto could land a deal worth almost $500 million! MLB insider Tyler Kepner of the Athletic spoke on an episode of ‘Blair and Barker’ and said, “Judge being there[ Yankees] for seven more years is perfect, it’s all set up… you pay him market value, let’s say a little more than Judge.” But can the Yanks, do that?

After all, Aaron Judge is the face of the New York Yankees. But it is honestly not impossible to imagine because the team did pay more to Alex Rodriguez when he joined when Derek Jeter was the face of the team. So the situation is no different, and the dynamics between Soto and Judge and that team spirit have been a major plus, of getting the team the success this year. 

However, while the free-agency talks can be an absolute bummer for fans trying to read into the tea leaves—the games are still on. There are more than 10 games left on most schedules, plenty to enjoy.