FORMER San Diego Padres player Juan Soto’s future will be looming large on New York Yankees fans’ minds.
The American League MVP favorite has been in brilliant form this season with his new team, the Yankees.
New York picked him up from the Padres in a blockbuster trade last year, knowing he was due to hit free agency.
Soto, 25, says he is open to talks before then and wants to stay with the 33-15 Yankees.
But USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale expects him to test the waters on the open market.
“While Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said he’s interested in engaging in contract talks with right fielder Juan Soto and agent Scott Boras to avert free agency, with Soto saying he’s willing to listen, the cold truth is there is absolutely zero chance Soto will sign before he’s a free agent,” he said.
“He turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract offer from the Washington Nationals two years ago.
“So, what’s another six months?
“Soto can keep on hitting, sit back, and watch the bidding war emerge between the Yankees and New York Mets. Let’s see who blinks first and gives him $500 million.”
Soto is batting .317 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs in 47 games.
New York is the only team to have three hitters in double digits for home runs with Aaron Judge (12) and Giancarlo Stanton (11) also past the mark.
Soto recovered from a minor blip last time out with a multi-homer game against the Chicago White Sox.
“You’ve got to put in the work,” he said.
“I’ve been working on my swing, working with my hitting coaches, watching videos – trying everything that we could to get that feeling back.
“I think we are in a good spot.”
Elsewhere, MLB rookie sensation Paul Skenes is lighting the baseball world on fire in his first starts.
The top Pittsburgh Pirates prospect struck out the first seven batters he faced on his way to six shutout innings last week.
Five key MLB rule changes in 2024
1. The pitch clock is reduced from 20 to 18 seconds with runners on base. It will remain at 15 seconds with bases empty.
2. When a pitching change is made, the innings timer will reset to 2:00 rather than 2:15 like it did last year.
3. Teams will only be allowed four mound visits per game in 2024, down from five last season.
4. Fielders and defenders blocking bases will be called for obstruction by referees.
5. The runners’ lane from home plate to first base has been widened to include the dirt between the grass and the white line.
“I had my pitches working for me a lot better than last time,” Skenes said.
“It’s really tough to compete without fastball execution, no matter who you are. It was a lot better today.”
Skenes was working on a perfect game, retiring his first 13 batters before allowing a walk to Chicago Cubs batter Michael Busch.
“He went right after them,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.
“He used all of his pitches. The fact that he was able to go back and forth and then go back to the fastball when he needed it.
“When you go back to the fastball and it’s 100 mph, it kind of changes the dynamic a little bit.”