Yankees and Juan Soto agree to massive 2024 contract as free agency looms
NEW YORK - Juan Soto's pinstriped future beyond 2024 is uncertain as he enters a greatly anticipated free agent walk year as a Yankee.
At least there's agreement on a one-year contract for Soto, along with the rest of the Yankees' arbitration eligible players.
As first reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post and MLB Network, the Yankees reached agreement Thursday with Soto on a $31 million contract for 2024, thus avoiding arbitration.
It's a record-setting deal for an arbitration-eligible player, surpassing the $30 million Shohei Ohtani received last year from the Los Angeles Angels.
Last month, Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700 million free agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Soto's demands might exceed a half billion dollars in free agency. He rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract offer by the Washington Nationals in 2022, and was swapped to the San Diego Padres near the MLB trade deadline that year.
Led by second baseman Gleyber Torres, the Yankees' nine other arbitration-eligible players all came to contract agreements Thursday, as announced by the club.
Based on figures provided by the Associated Press, Torres received $14.2 million for 2024, his free agent walk year.
Also avoiding arbitration were pitchers Nestor Cortes ($3.95 million), Clay Holmes ($6 million), Jonathan Loaisiga ($2.5 million), Clarke Schmidt ($2.025 million) and Victor Gonzalez ($860,000), outfielders Alex Verdugo ($8.7 million) and Trent Grisham ($5.5 million) and catcher Jose Trevino ($2.73 million).
Bringing in Soto, 25, was one of the Yankees' most essential offseason goals, sending a trade package that included four pitchers - led by Michael King - to the San Diego Padres to land the lefty-hitting slugger.
By late Thursday evening, the Yankees had addressed a glaring need in their rotation.
Having missed out on prized free agent starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, their top pitching target, the Yankees agreed Thursday with free agent right-hander Marcus Stroman on a guaranteed two-year contract.
Stroman, 32, would receive $18.5 million in both 2024 and 2025 according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, with the opportunity to make it a vesting three-year, $55 million contract based on innings incentives.
24 Yankees predictions for 2024: A big trade, a brawl, and some blasts by Juan Soto
Earlier Thursday, the Yankees agreed on a one-year deal to bring back right-hander Luke Weaver, as first reported by FanSided's Robert Murray.
Weaver, 30, adds to the Yankees' starting depth following the recent trade acquisitions of Soto and Verdugo (from the Boston Red Sox) as well as pitching losses the Yanks incurred from the Rule 5 Draft.
Claimed last September off waivers from the Seattle Mariners, Weaver made three starts for the Yankees and posted a 3.38 ERA. In total for 2023, Weaver posted a 6.40 ERA in 29 games (25 starts) for three teams, including the Cincinnati Reds.
A former first round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals (27th overall in 2014), Weaver owns a 5.14 ERA in 144 games (106 starts) for six MLB clubs. He was included in the trade that sent Paul Goldschmidt to St. Louis from the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2018 season.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees, Juan Soto agree to 2024 contract as free agency looms
