ARLINGTON, Texas — Juan Soto won’t be able to avoid questions about his impending free agency wherever he goes, and the All-Star Game allowed for yet another attempt to dig up clues about his future.
The Yankees superstar spent his first four and a half years with the Nationals, then played a year and a half with the Padres before making a big-money move to the Yankees in the offseason and admitting he’s ready to settle down.
“It’s a little awkward to put on a different uniform and change teams,” Soto said in Spanish on Monday during media day for the All-Star game at Globe Life Field, according to ESPN. “I’m looking forward to wearing the same uniform for a long time.”
The question, of course, will be whether he’ll be in a pinstriped uniform.
Hal Steinbrenner has already publicly told the YES Network that he wants to keep Soto in the Bronx for “the rest of his career.”
The Yankees’ ownership would like to negotiate with Soto before free agency, but as a Scott Boras client, it’s highly unlikely that Soto would sign before free agency.
The Yankees are hoping this season will help convince Soto that he’s already at home.
“Who doesn’t want to be on a winning team? For me, it’s always good to be there and be a part of it while you’re on a winning team,” Soto said, according to ESPN.
Soto has consistently said he enjoyed his time in the Bronx and clearly hit it off with the fan base.
The Yankees have no complaints about Soto, who went up to bat opposite Aaron Judge in his first 94 games with the Yankees, hitting 23 home runs, walking a major league-high 79 and recording a .985 OPS.
