The stakes were high, and so was the pressure, but the New York Yankees made it to the World Series. Ending the long wait since 2009, the new stars have taken up the responsibilities of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez; though a bit late, but still, worth it. This includes Juan Soto, who delivered again with a three-run home run helping the Pinstripes set a perfect home return on the road. The 25-year-old deserves all the appreciation, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. thinks it should be much more.

Notably, the MLB season is weeks away from its end, but the baseball journey will continue with free agencies looming in. Multiple stars in the market are available with a raise, including Juan Soto. The outfielder has done amazingly this season, so, his price is set to be high. If the Yankees are up for keeping him, they must pay a hefty amount. But the question is: Will they accept this surge in expenses?

Jazz Chisholm Jr. demands $700 million for ALCS star Juan Soto

The last free agency was something else – two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani got the highest contract in MLB history – a $700 million, 10-year deal. Due to this whopping amount, everyone labeled it as a limit for the upcoming years, with no expectations of a repeat anytime soon. But if we believe Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees, fans might be up for a surprise. During the media interaction, Jazz asked for a massive payout for Soto – $700 million!

When asked about how he felt with Juan Soto stepping on the plate, Jazz said, “He’s gonna do it. That’s the only thing going through my mind.” Furthermore, Jazz Chisholm Jr. even asked for a pay hike, highlighting the expected amount as, “700.” Given Juan Soto‘s impact on the team in a single year, the number does seem justified. If only the stats are accounted for, the right fielder has been a valuable addition. Hence, a record-breaking Yankees contract can be the real deal, but will Hal Steinbrenner agree?

All eyes on Hal Steinbrenner as ‘re-sign Soto’ chants echo in Cleveland

Juan Soto has been averaging 0.288 in the regular season with 41 HRs, and 109 RBIs at an OPS of 0.989. Moreover, he delivered in the postseason  – in 8 games, Soto has five runs and five RBIs, making up for Aaron Judge, whose bat has not delivered much this postseason.  So, after his heroic performance, not just Jazz Chisholm Jr. but also the Yankees’ fans want them to sign Juan again.

They captured this sentiment with “re-sign” Soto chants during the games, but now, the real question is: Will Hal Steinbrenner fulfill their dream of retaining Soto? The Yanks are indeed one of the heavy spenders in the league and have the second-highest active payroll. But given the circumstances, this attempt looks unsure, with Hal wanting the deal expectations to be lowered for team sustainability.

As reported, the owner has labeled the payrolls too high, noting, “Look, I’m gonna be honest, payrolls at levels we’re at right now are simply not sustainable for us financially.” Because of this, the latest demand looks unfeasible, but for the team, it can be done with salary deferments to ease the burden. If this happens, MLB will get to see another $700 million star like Ohtani.

Do you think retaining Juan Soto with a $700 million contract feasible for the team at present? Share your take in the comments below.