LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Once again, Juan Soto is at Dodger Stadium with all of baseball talking about his future.
His first time came before the All-Star Game in July 2022. Soto was surrounded by reporters in the Center Field Plaza and questioned over his decision to turn down Washington鈥檚 $440 million, 15-year offer 鈥� what would have been the biggest deal in baseball history. Hours later, the 23-year-old won the Home Run Derby.
鈥淭hat was crazy,鈥� Soto recalled Thursday.
He was back in New York Yankees gray on an even grander World Series stage, and the buzz around his next prodigious payday persisted ahead of Game 1 on Friday 鈥� his 26th birthday.
鈥淛ust give him as much money as you possibly can,鈥� teammate Clarke Schmidt said, sitting about 100 feet away. 鈥淚 think money talks. So whatever he needs, I think you鈥檝e got to make it happen.鈥�
Soto was traded to San Diego two weeks after that All-Star Game and then to New York last December. Now, on the eve of the first Yankees-Dodgers World Series since 1981, he was asked about his looming free agency and the possibility of $600 million offers. Like he did 27 months earlier, he avoided direct answers and deflected to agent Scott Boras.
鈥淪cott has been doing a really good job,鈥� Soto said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been taking all the bullets and everything. I鈥檓 just focused on playing baseball right now.鈥�
Soto and Aaron Judge have become manager Aaron Boone's favorite combo. They filled the Nos. 2 and 3 slots in 153 games, a franchise record that topped the 145 games of Joe Dugan and Babe Ruth in 1923, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Those Yankees won the team's first title, and Soto and Judge seek No. 28.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 loving being here and being part of this team and knowing what鈥檚 at stake and what he has an opportunity to do,鈥� Boone said before the Yankees postseason opener. 鈥淗e obviously came in here with a ton of attention and all the attention that goes with him being a free agent at the end of the year, and you鈥檝e never felt that. It鈥檚 been about being part of this team, and he鈥檚 fit in perfectly.鈥�
After arriving at spring training wearing a T-shirt that proclaimed 鈥淭he Generational Juan Soto,鈥� Soto hit .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks. He's batting .333 with three homers, eight RBIs and seven walks in nine postseason games.
鈥淚t seems like the bigger the at-bat, the bigger the moment, he does have a knack for seizing that moment,鈥� Soto said.
Soto credited welcoming teammates for establishing an environment to thrive.
鈥淭hey really make it easy for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I feel really comfortable where I鈥檓 at and I know how happy I am right now.鈥�
Boras is billing Soto to clubs as 鈥淭he Greatest Surplus Value in Free Agent History.鈥�
When Soto helped Washington win its first title in 2019, he joined Mickey Mantle as the only players with seven RBIs in a World Series at age 21 or younger. and a two-run double in Game 1 off Gerrit Cole, who starts the opener for the Yankees.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of tough to compete against sometimes when the big dogs are doing their thing,鈥� said Cole, who had won 19 consecutive decisions.
and a as Washington became the first Series champion to win four road games. Three years later, he hit a of the NL Division Series for San Diego against the Dodgers and a of the Championship Series against Philadelphia.
鈥淗e has the ability to have a hyper-focus in key pressure situations to where he is most optimal and he can exhibit his greatest skills in key moments,鈥� Boras said. 鈥淭hat really elevates the probability of a team winning a championship and thereby provides an owner with what he most covets and certainly increases the value of players who can deliver that."
With the Yankees, Soto hit a against Cleveland and a in the 10th inning that won the pennant against the Guardians in Game 5 last weekend. He fouled off a pair of sliders and a pair of changeups, then .
鈥淭hat鈥檚 an at-bat for the ages,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淎 couple of uncomfortable-looking swings in there, where he just kind of spoiled and stayed alive, kind of fights himself back and finally gets a pitch in and does what Juan does with it.鈥�
Soto became a Bronx fan favorite from opening day, serenaded by the Bleacher Creatures and reflecting in the adoration of New York's large Dominican community.
"I鈥檝e been really thankful for them and really happy that they have my back the whole year," Soto said.
Carefully choosing his words, Soto wouldn't say whether contentment eclipses cash as a free-agency factor.
鈥淒efinitely every player wants to be happy where they are,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, whenever you win, you鈥檙e really going to be happy.鈥�
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AP MLB:
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
