Steve Cohen has a vast fortune, there’s no denying it. But when it comes to securing the top talent on the free-agent market, the Yankees aren’t losing sleep over the Mets’ billionaire owner. At the GM meetings on Tuesday, Yankees GM Brian Cashman did acknowledge the Mets as a potential contender for Juan Soto’s services, but as a potential threat? Nope.

While the Mets’ have deep pockets and Cohen’s financial firepower is enough to raise eyebrows across the league, Cashman wasn’t exactly quaking in his boots. In fact, when asked if Cohen’s wealth gave him insecurity about securing Juan Soto, Cashman let out a laugh and offered a confident response, emphasizing how that guarantees nothing. “That is just the nature of the beast,” Brian Cashman said according to a YouTube video posted by SNY, acknowledging the current state of the MLB’s arms race for top talent.

But Cashman wasn’t just talking about the Mets and Steve Cohen’s seemingly unlimited resources—he had a broader point in mind. “Big-market owners with deep pockets aren’t the only ones signing players to big deals,” he claimed while adding,  “You have seen the San Diego Padres sitting out on the West Coast, they have imported a lot of big-time players and big-time contracts and outcompeted teams of interest for, so it comes in various forms, in various cities at various times.” Brian Cashman also took this situation as an opportunity to underscore how things are different in Major League Baseball now.

At present, deep pockets aren’t what get you anywhere anymore – look at what has been achieved by a group like the Padres through well-timed, astute moves with a sense of taking bold risks. Now, they even get under the noses of the wealthiest outfits in MLB. At just 26 years of age, Juan Soto is ready to attract a contract that could very well be in the range of $600 million, but can the Yankees outbid the Mets if it comes down to money?

Yankees’ pursuit of Juan Soto to make the best team for 2025

Even with loaded finances, the Mets never seriously played in Shohei Ohtani’s free agency last winter. They got a sense that the Japanese star wanted to stay on the West Coast, and indeed he did, signing a heavily deferred 10-year contract worth $700 million with the Dodgers. It is a telling moment in the current MLB landscape-money alone does not win the day.

The Mets did chase Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he, in turn, used the Mets’ offer against them by grabbing a similar offer Los Angeles had posted. Now, Cashman has begun targeting Juan Soto – the slugger is already on the Bronx Bombers’ wish list. On Tuesday, Cashman even confirmed he had discussions with Soto’s agent Scott Boras, about the possibility of a reunion. “We’re prepared to put our best foot forward,” he said, signaling the Yankees’ intention to make a serious play for Juan Soto.

Cashman also made it clear that while retaining Soto would be ideal, it’s not the only route to improving the team. The Yankees are exploring every possible avenue to build the best possible roster for 2025 – their goal remains the same: Getting back to the World Series.