Juan Soto has proved to be the ace up the sleeve of the New York Yankees – and he is well compensated by the iconic franchise desperate to return to the top of the MLB pyramid.

Last week, in Game 5 of the ALCS versus the Cleveland Guardians, Soto hit a stunning three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to send the Yankees to the World Series for the first time since 2009. Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers then defeated the New York Mets to set up a blockbuster World Series showdown between the two revered franchises.

While Aaron Judge is set to win the AL MVP award, Soto represents one of the most talented players in the sport. The Yankees made a big swing when they traded for him back in December, knowing Soto was set to be a free agent.

In December 2023, the San Diego Padres dealt Soto and Trent Grisham to the Yankees in exchange for Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, and Kyle Higashioka. The Yankees then avoided salary arbitration before the start of the 2024 MLB season, with Soto agreeing to a record-setting one-year contract worth $31 million.

Soto’s salary, reached minutes before the deadline for players and teams to submit their desired figures before potential arbitration, topped the $30 million Ohtani received from the Los Angeles Angels last season. Regardless of what happens against the Dodgers, the 25-year-old has been worth every penny for the Yankees in 2024.

Soto was named a starting outfielder for the American League as he became an All-Star for a fourth time, and in August, Soto became the sixth Yankee with at least six home runs in a four-game span after Babe Ruth (1921, 1930), Tony Lazzeri (1936), Joe DiMaggio (1948), Mickey Mantle (1962), and Alex Rodriguez (2007). He then became the first Yankee in the expansion era to hit a home run with 8 straight hits.

During his first year in New York, Soto finished the regular season batting .288 (9th in the AL)/.419(2nd)/.569(3rd) with a career-high 41 home runs (3rd) and 109 RBIs (4th). He was also second in MLB in walks with 129.

Follow us on Xfor the best and latest in sports news

Juan Soto is set to hit free agency and command a blockbuster contract following the 2024 World Series

Juan Soto is set to hit free agency and command a blockbuster contract following the 2024 World Series ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

Ultimately, the Dominican has been a revelation since arriving in MLB as an international free agent. He played a pivotal role as the Washington Nationals won the 2019 World Series, defeating the Houston Astros where he hit home runs against future Yankees teammate Gerrit Cole.

Soto was clutch for the Nationals in the World Series. In Game 6, he hit his third home run of the series off Justin Verlander, a go-ahead solo home run, to help force a decisive Game 7 where Washington clinched a first World Series title in franchise history. Soto led the Nationals in home runs, hits, walks, and runs scored en route to being named the co-winner of the 2019 Babe Ruth Award with Stephen Strasburg.

Soto is a superstar. He is a four-time Silver Slugger winner, and his skills have been on show in the Bronx all year long. He will likely command a contract of up to – and beyond – $600 million at the end of the season, setting the outfielder up on a team for the foreseeable future. If he delivers a World Series title for the first time in 15 years to the Yankees, not only will Soto immortalize himself as a legend, but his price tag will only go up – and the Yankees will be in the running to pay up.