NEW YORK — Hal Steinbrenner wants his relationship with Juan Soto to be similar to his friendship with Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, and the New York Yankees owner emphasized the team’s commitment to continually improve its roster if the star free-agent outfielder stays in the Bronx.
Steinbrenner said the Yankees delegation at the meeting included team president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone and senior adviser for baseball operations Omar Minaya.
“We had a good meeting. It was a very honest back-and-forth dialogue, a couple hours long,” Steinbrenner said.
Asked how confident he was about keeping Soto, Steinbrenner said: “No idea. We’ll be in the mix. I’ll leave it at that.”
“We listen to our fans, right? Our fans really enjoyed having him in New York,” Steinbrenner added. “He is definitely a significant part of why we got to the World Series. So, I’ve got ears. I know what’s expected of me.”
The meeting lasted about two hours and took place at a hotel near Newport Beach, California, near the office of Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, a person familiar with the session said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those details were not announced.
Soto was acquired from San Diego last December and the Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since 2009.
“We didn’t get to know each other that well,” Steinbrenner said. “I was told that he is someone that when he’s in the clubhouse, he is in a zone like no other, and with players like that I just don’t like interrupting that process and pulling somebody aside, dragging them into Boone’s office and having conversations. But we did talk about that in California and should he be back next year, I made it clear that the kind of relationship I would like is the kind of relationship I have with Gerrit (Cole) and with Aaron Judge.”
Soto also is meeting with other teams and financial talks likely won’t start until next week. The Yankees entered the postseason with a $311 million payroll, second behind the Mets at $332 million.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Gleyber Torres, left fielder Alex Verdugo and reliever Clay Holmes also became free agents, lowering Yankees payroll commitments.
“We’re in a better starting position than we were a year ago. There’s no doubt about that,” Steinbrenner. “Year after year after year after year, payrolls similar to this year and the luxury taxes they produce are not sustainable, not feasible, and that’s the case for the vast majority of owners, maybe all the owners, year after year after year. It doesn’t mean in any given year I can’t do what I want to do. We’ve got the ability to sign any player we want to sign.”
On Steve Cohen’s Mets competing for Soto
“Of course it’s a concern,” Steinbrenner said. “If it doesn’t work out, it’s going to hurt a little bit no matter where it goes.”
Criticism of defense and base running
“We did not play a clean World Series. I think we all know that,” Steinbrenner said of the five-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. “But those fundamentals got us to the World Series. Our play for the most part was solid during the course of the year. That’s why we won a pennant for the first time in 15 years, but no doubt in the World Series they just played better than us.”
The loss to the Dodgers remained on his mind.
“It stung. It still stings,” he said. “It’s interesting when you’re that close and you don’t get there, it stays with you for a while.”
Cole’s contract
After Cole exercised his right to opt out, the Yankees wouldn’t void that right by adding a $36 million salary for 2029. The pitcher then decided to stay, and the sides will keep talking.
“We want Gerrit to be a Yankee for life. I believe he wants to be a Yankee for life,” Steinbrenner said. “And adding one more year or not adding one more year should have no meaning when it comes to that.”
Boone’s contract
Boone enters next season in the option year of his contract. Steinbrenner said a new deal may be discussed.
“I’m going to have discussions with Cashman, yes, in the very near future, but there’s no huge rush to it,” Steinbrenner said.
On Rays playing at Steinbrenner Field this season
“It’s a big deal. It’s the right thing to do for their fan base, many of whom are my neighbors and friends,” Steinbrenner said. “Really if it wasn’t for Tampa, they would have been moving out of Tampa because there’s no other site size-wise, the amount of premium and club space we have, major league-ready field, major league-ready lights. All that, plus everything we’ve done to the clubhouse.”
Lights will be added to an outside field for the Class A Tampa Tarpons, and Steinbrenner said the Rays will improve the visitors clubhouse.
