NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Aaron Boone certainly sounds like a manager who wants Juan Soto and Yoshinobu Yamamoto written on his lineup card, as many do.
Boone wouldn’t say how close Soto or Yamamoto are to joining the Yankees, but he praised the club’s top two offseason targets during Tuesday’s winter meetings.
Soto, who is still under contract with the Padres, at least for the time being, said Boone that the 25-year-old outfielder is “a much better offensive player.”
“He’s a machine offensively,” Boone said at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. “He’s accomplished a lot on the bases, his power, he’s already accomplished a lot at a young age, he’s durable, he’s a mainstay on a world championship team. He’s one of the solid performers in the sport. He’s a great player.”
For the latest on MLB contracts, trades, rumors and more, follow The Post’s coverage from the winter meetings in Nashville.
The Yankees are in talks with the Padres regarding Soto, but San Diego’s offer is high for a superstar with one year left on his contract, and they are willing to give up on both Michael King and Drew Thorpe, as well as several others. Potentially hoping to sign a contract with.
If the Yankees end up sacrificing King in a trade for Soto, signing Yamamoto could help soften the blow. The Japanese right-hander, who has been heavily scouted by the Yankees (GM Brian Cashman watched him throw a no-hitter in September), is expected to be paid more than $200 million.
Boone said he met Yamamoto last offseason when they happened to be in the same place and were introduced, and that he plans to meet him again. The Yankees are among the teams scheduled to meet with Yamamoto and his agent after the winter meetings.
“It’s hard to find a 25-year-old pitcher as brilliant as he is, as successful as he is at this point in his career and on the world stage of the WBC,” Boone said. “Based on our reporting, and I think the industry sees it the same way, this guy is really good. I feel like he’s going to have a lot of suitors. But I don’t think he’s here. I’m very confident that he’s going to come in and be a really special top-of-the-rotation type pitcher.”
When I asked Yamamoto if pinstripes looked good on him, Boone chuckled.
“I think he probably will, yeah,” he said with a big smile.
