New York Yankees fans continue to insist that team owner Hal Steinbrenner should have followed in the footsteps of his famous father, George, and done whatever was necessary to prevent New York Mets owner Steve Cohen from submitting the winning bid for superstar Juan Soto in free agency.
During a Tuesday appearance on New York sports radio station WFAN, legendary Yankees announcer Suzyn Waldman indicated she’s okay with the fact that Soto accepted Cohen’s offer even though she knows the Bronx Bombers will not be “better off” without the All-Star outfielder in the lineup.
“I think Juan Soto is as good a hitter as I’ve ever seen…that being said, I was just afraid that they were going to break the bank for this guy and then not do anything else,” Waldman said about the Yankees, Arthur Weinstein of Awful Announcing shared.
Shortly after it was learned on Sunday night that Soto and the Mets had agreed to a 15-year, $765M contract that could exceed $800M total, one unnamed scout said the Yankees “dodged a bullet” and could now “spend a lot of money in a hurry and add something sexy” to the roster. On Tuesday, the Yankees reportedly agreed to an eight-year, $218M contract with left-handed ace Max Fried.
“I was a little bit surprised Hal went this high,” Waldman said about the younger Steinbrenner reportedly offering Soto $760M over 16 years.
While Yankees announcer Michael Kay previously said he didn’t believe the Yankees would pay up to $700M to pursue Soto, paying customers have since criticized Hal Steinbrenner for not matching Cohen’s agreement, which included a suite for the slugger’s family at Citi Field. Hal Steinbrenner reportedly wouldn’t give Soto a free suite because team captain Aaron Judge and Hall of Famer Derek Jeter have previously paid for their suites.
“[Cohen] is this generation’s George,” Waldman said while referencing the Yankees’ previous owner who famously guided the franchise to seven World Series titles and 11 American League pennants. “The one thing that Steve Cohen…just watching and listening to him, George had that passion that Steve Cohen has. That’s a passion I don’t see in most owners.”
The 2025 Mets remain far from a finished product, so Cohen and team president of baseball operations David Stearns still have plenty of work coming off the club’s trip to this year’s National League Championship Series. As for the Yankees, fans expect Hal Steinbrenner to spend even more of the money available for Soto as the storied club continues chasing its first World Series title since 2009.
