DALLAS — One decision forever changed the Yankees' world and personality.
They are no longer City bullies.
They no longer have one of the best hitters in the world who is on track to make the Hall of Fame.
They don't have a plan A anymore.
Juan Soto, beloved during his one season in the Bronx, is no longer a Yankee, but a Yankee villain.
Circle May 16th on your 2025 calendar when he returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time.
He will be treated very differently than last time.
In a surprising but not surprising conclusion considering rival ownership, Soto left the Yankees rather than New York and signed a massive 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets on Sunday night. It was agreed that the winter meeting would begin. Why not take on the Yankees at the Hilton Anatole?
According to the Post's Jon Heyman, Hal Steinbrenner & Co. has upped their offer multiple times, reaching a peak of $760 million over 16 seasons, but it took Steve Cohen to make the largest deal in baseball history. It is said that he had deep pockets.
The Yankees need to replace one of the most entertaining and best hitters in the game, a hitter who combined with Aaron Judge to ruin opposing pitchers during his one year in the Bronx.
He led the league in RBIs, hit 41 home runs, posted a .989 OPS, and led the club to just three wins away from a World Series title in the postseason.
If the Yankees were hoping Soto's stadium and clubhouse comfort would be an advantage, they were wrong.
With no player of Soto's level of quality available, the Yankees' Plan B must focus on quantity.
The club recently held talks with top rotation arms Max Fried and Corbin Burnes.
If you can't combine two of the most powerful hitters in the world to outscore your opponent, perhaps you can come up with a complement to Gerrit Cole to outscore your opponent.
Mr. Burns is likely to out-compensate Mr. Fried and should earn more than $200 million.
Follow The Post's coverage of Juan Soto's historic blockbuster deal with the Mets.
Arguably the second-best position player on the market is no longer available, as Willie Adames agreed to a contract with the Giants.
Needing a third or second baseman, the Yankees could target 2017 Astros nemesis Alex Bregman, who has a proven track record and talent but is hated by the fan base and curious about the clubhouse, or they could use the trade market. It is possible to explore. For guys like Nolan Arenado and Alec Bohm.
After rejecting Anthony Rizzo's option, the Yankees are also in the market for a first baseman and could give the Mets a counterpunch by snatching up Pete Alonso.
Only Judge has hit more home runs than Alonso since 2019, but the 30-year-old Judge is coming off a slump, with concerns about the aging of the dynamic first baseman.
Other options include Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana.
The Yankees, who don't have Soto or a true center fielder, could probably use multiple outfielders.
Teoscar Hernandez and Anthony Santander are the most attractive free agents, and left-hander Joc Pederson should also love the stadium.
The center field market is tough, and the club could swing to sign the Cubs' Cody Bellinger, who is owed $27.5 million next season.
Is it possible that a team that might not be able to outscore its opponent might instead try to suffocate the other team late in the game?
After losing Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle, how about adding a back-end arm like Tanner Scott or Jeff Hoffman?
When the Yankees lost out on Robinson Cano after the 2013 season, they redirected their funds to Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, and Masahiro Tanaka. The $458 million splurge was full of hits, costly mistakes, and ended up with zero wins.
A theoretical version this winter could include Barnes, Bregman, Alonso, Santander, Bellinger and Scott, with a total that could be around $650 million, but $100 million more than Soto. There will be fewer than that.
The Yankees have options, but there's certainly some heartache and some new nemesis. A superstar based in the Bronx but based in another borough, and a rival owner who claims to be the most formidable financial force in sports.
