Cross-Town Rival Won’t Go to ‘Nutty Numbers’ for Superstar; Could Mets overbid?

The postseason is approaching, but free agency isn’t far behind.

In about six weeks, superstar outfielder Juan Soto will hit the free agent market for the first time in his career and is expected to sign a historic long-term contract.

While Soto had an excellent year in his first season with the New York Yankees, it remains to be seen whether they can keep him.

The New York Mets and billionaire Steve Cohen certainly have the wherewithal to lure Soto out of the Bronx by making themselves the highest bidder for his services. And one MLB insider believes the Yankees will actually be outbid by another club for Soto.

“We don’t really know what Soto cares about – does he really want to stay with the Yankees or does he like a lot of players, and by the way that’s totally their prerogative, some players equate money with respect,” ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney told Pinstripe area At the beginning of the week. “Does Soto want to get a record amount of dollars from one of these teams?

“And I think in the end the Yankees are going to be outbid by someone. I can’t imagine Hal (Steinbrenner) is going to put up crazy numbers, and we don’t know if (New York Mets owner) Steve Cohen is going to do the same thing he did with some of his skills and just outshine the competition . ”

Soto hit a career-high 41 home runs this season. He’ll be just 26 when free agency begins, and the Mets could build their franchise around the star slugger.

“I was told in spring training, ‘This is our (the Mets) guy,’” Olney added. “Like Soto, the focus is on what the Mets are going to try to do.”

Pete Alonso, the Mets’ franchise cornerstone, will also hit the open market. It seems unlikely that both Alonso and Soto will sign long-term deals, but with Cohen at the helm, it’s still possible.