The Yankees' plan to bring Juan Soto back to the Bronx will also include Aaron Boone.
The coach, whose option was picked up last week, will be part of a contingent traveling to Southern California next week for talks with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras.
“I want him to continue to wear pinstripes,” Boone said on Monday's Zoom call. “But I also know there's going to be a lot of people competing for it and you never know where it's going to go. All I know is that we're going to try our best and give it our all and All I can say is that I hope Juan comes back.”
Hal Steinbrenner will lead a Yankees team that Boone considered “pretty small.” The club's owner's presence reflects the gravity of the negotiations for the 26-year-old slugger, who could set or come close to setting a record on the open market.
The Mets' Steve Cohen and other owners around the league are also scheduled to meet with Soto and Boras this week, the first concrete sign of a bidding war that could befall the New York billionaire.
Coach Boone watched Soto for 176 games from the regular season to the postseason. He knows the players and he knows the guys themselves. He hopes that familiarity will help him pitch himself.
“Let's let the meeting go where it needs to go,” Boone said of his strategy. “Now that he's a free agent, he might have doubts or want to work on certain things, but I just go in there and be myself and be honest with him and my relationship with Juan.” I'm going to go in with confidence in his ability to have that conversation.''And definitely cementing how much we value him and how much we think of him, not just as a player, but as a person.'' I hope.
“I have to live with him this year. This will be my sales pitch: Of course. [convey] As much as we want him, let's leave the meeting alone. ”
Director Boone has consistently praised not only the actors but also the characters.
Soto's excellence (.989 OPS, 41 home runs in 157 games, and impressive postseason performance) helped bring the Yankees three wins away from winning the World Series, but his presence in the clubhouse is also a plus. It was. Boone said it was a “pleasure” to know Soto.
Because of his talent and age, Soto is the best free agent on the market and one of the best free agents to ever hit the market. The Yankees could devise a Plan B, but any plan would be viewed as disappointing by outsiders.
“No matter what happens,” Coach Boone said. “I'm confident that the Steinbrenner family and front office will do everything they can to put us in a position to acquire another strong team, another team with a chance to compete for a championship.” They've been doing that long before I got here, and I know they'll continue to do that.
“Hopefully with Juan, but we'll see how it turns out.”
