Yankees Owner Admits Mets Are a ‘Concern’ in Signing Juan Soto

Getty Yankees owner admits he's concerned about Mets

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is concerned about the New York Mets in the race for Juan Soto.

The Mets and Yankees are considered to be the front runners for Soto. The Yankees had their meeting with Soto, which Steinbrenner says was a good meeting.

However, when asked about Soto meeting with the Mets among other teams, Steinbrenner says Steve Cohen’s money is a concern.

“I could say that about a couple other owners too,” Steinbrenner said when asked about Cohen’s spending power. “Or corporations, for that matter, that represent the ownership group. So, I mean, of course it’s a concern.”

As Steinbrenner says, the Mets’ money is a concern in their chances of re-signing Soto. MLB insider Michael Kay of YES Network says Cohen has told Scott Boras he will pay $50 million more than any other team.

“And then I’ve heard from somebody in baseball today [Monday] that [Steve] Cohen’s willing to go $50 million over whatever anybody offers,” Kay said. “So it looks like the Mets really want to get this guy.”

Whether or not that will be the case is uncertain, but Steinbrenner says he is concerned about the Mets.

Yankees Owner Calls Meeting With Soto ‘Good’

Steinbrenner confirmed the team did have its meeting with Soto and Boras. The Yankees owner called the meeting ‘good’ and featured ‘very honest back-and-forth dialogue.’

Soto was a key member of the Yankees offense that made it to the World Series, and Steinbrenner says the team is hoping to retain him.

“Our fans really enjoyed having him in New York,” Steinbrenner said. “He’s definitely a significant part of why we got to the World Series. I’ve got ears. I know what’s expected of me. So, look, it’s been a priority. We wouldn’t have gone out to the West Coast if it wasn’t.”

However, several MLB teams are interested in Soto, so it will likely be a bidding war to sign him.

If the Yankees miss out on Soto, New York will likely pivot and turn their attention to the other top free-agent hitters.

Yankees Can Sign Any Player They Want

Entering the offseason, Steinbrenner says the Yankees have no financial limitations.

The Yankees plan to spend and win, as Steinbrenner says the team will be able to sign any player they want this off-season.

“We’re in a better starting position than we were a year ago. There’s no doubt about that,” Steinbrenner said. “Look, year after year after year after year, payrolls similar to this year and the luxury taxes they produce are not sustainable. That’s the case for the vast majority of owners, maybe all of them. Year after year after year — it doesn’t mean in any given year I can’t do what I want to do. I mean, we’ve got the ability to sign any player we want to sign.”

The hope for Steinbrenner is the money goes to retaining Soto, but he isn’t sure that will happen.

Soto will get a deal that will likely exceed $600 million in free agency.