DALLAS — In the face of their greatest offseason loss in current reminiscence, the Yankees haven’t any regrets.
No regrets with the choice to commerce for Juan Soto forward of his stroll season.
No regrets with a 12 months by which Soto certain appeared content material in what was hailed by all concerned as an unusually completely satisfied clubhouse.
No regrets from a gathering in Southern California with Soto and agent Scott Boras that folks from each events say went effectively.
No regrets from an escalating, blind public sale for Soto’s providers that ended with a proposal that, in complete cash, got here simply $5 million quick.
The bidding “took us to heights that I by no means would have anticipated,” GM Brian Cashman stated on the Winter Meetings on Monday, a day after the Mets received the Soto tug-of-war. “Hal Steinbrenner actually stepped as much as discover a option to retain Juan Soto. I’m actually happy with his efforts — actually went effectively past what I might’ve anticipated.”
With the lone exception of these World Series duds, the Yankees believed they put themselves in the perfect place to retain probably the most alluring free brokers in baseball historical past.
In May or June, Cashman stated, Steinbrenner met with Soto to gauge curiosity in hanging a long-term deal early.
Soto declined, desirous to hit free company.
Soto confirmed no indicators of stress or distraction throughout an entertaining season by which he completed third in AL MVP voting and was routinely serenaded by a Bronx crowd that had fallen in love.
He had wager on himself — turning down probabilities with the Nationals, Padres and now Yankees to signal long run — and received.
Follow The Post’s protection of Juan Soto’s historic megadeal with the Mets:
The Yankees didn’t know the place they stood because the bidding started and heightened.
They, the Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers continued looking for the contract that may earn Soto’s nod.
“You get some hints that you just’re quick … and we stored attempting to shut the hole, however we didn’t know who we had been closing in opposition to for a time period,” Cashman stated from the membership’s suite on the Hilton Anatole resort. “Felt prefer it was Boston. Maybe it was Toronto. Maybe it was the Mets. Just didn’t know.”
Cashman submitted his membership’s last supply to Boras round 9 or 10 a.m. Sunday, he stated.
The proposed pact “went above and past the place our consolation degree was,” he stated.
He waited.
That evening, he bought the decision from Boras he was dreading.
“Certainly disenchanted,” stated Cashman, who then conferenced in Steinbrenner and staff president Randy Levine to relay the information. Soon sufficient, supervisor Aaron Boone landed in Dallas, checked his cellphone and thought to himself, “Whoa.”
The Yankees had misplaced with a bid of $760 million over 16 years at $47.5 million per season.
The Mets had received with a last supply of a assured $765 million over 15 years for $51 million per season.
The Yankees had provided $60 million greater than the richest contract in baseball historical past — the closely deferred Shohei Ohtani contract — and it was not sufficient.
If that they had upped their proposal by $5 million, would Soto be a Yankee?
“I don’t know,” stated Cashman, whose membership didn’t obtain an edge from Soto’s expertise in The Bronx.
When the Yankees dealt for a soon-to-be-free-agent famous person, buying and selling a number of useful chips together with Michael King and Drew Thorpe, they hoped they had been gaining a tiebreaker.
Soto certain appeared to take pleasure in his time in pinstripes, snug with the town, the stadium and the group. Maybe if presents had been shut, the toss-up would land within the incumbent’s arms.
But Soto selected the most important contract by $5 million both due to that $5 million or as a result of the Mets had received him over differently.
“Juan made choices for Juan,” Cashman stated of Soto, who has not but spoken publicly about his selection. “And so what these causes are — I do know we had a fantastic expertise with Juan Soto. Not simply performance-wise, however how he interacted together with his teammates within the clubhouse. I believe he actually cherished taking part in for Aaron Boone. I believe it was a fantastic state of affairs.
“I’m undecided if there’s something we might do any totally different. Outside of profitable the World Series, it performed out excellent.”
