Rise of top Yankees prospects, Aaron Judge contract fuel Mets rumors of Juan Soto coming to Queens

The Pete Alonso contract extension talks seem to have halted with the New York Mets front office accepting he’ll end up in free agency one way or another. Mets fans are caught in between remaining optimistic about this upcoming year while looking forward to what the 2025 season has in store. Mets rumors are essentially on pause until mid-year with a few rare exceptions like one of the recent ones to drop on WFAN.

With the 2023-2024 offseason basically over with aside from the possibility of a surprise transaction along with some minor ones, we have to look a little more distantly into the future for hopes of any big name coming to Citi Field in anything more than road grays.

Fortunately, there is optimism about the future of Juan Soto and him dawning orange and blue. New York Yankees beat writer for NJ.com Randy Miller went on the Rickie Ricardo show to bang some conga drums and discuss the future of Soto. What he’s hearing should have Mets fans very excited.

Randy Miller’s breakdown of why Juan Soto will leave the Yankees makes complete sense

Miller, unfortunately, didn’t share too many reasons why Soto will end up with the Mets. But he had a lot of logical points as to why he’s leaving the Yankees.

We can thank the growth of several top Yankees prospects for this. Soon to play alongside Aaron Judge are Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones. Two outfielders practically built in the same factory as Judge, this possible larger-than-life outfield trio in the Bronx should have Yankees fans thrilled about the future. Most excited of all is Hal Steinbrenner who won’t have to give into the contract demands of Soto.

Having more affordable options is something most teams can say is reason enough to pass on Soto. Even the Mets with their rising outfield prospects can give themselves a reason to pass on a guy who should receive the second largest contract in MLB history for the time being. He won’t get Shohei Ohtani money but he’ll undoubtedly be able to afford to buy a mansion within another mansion or whatever it is these players do with their endless wealth.

Equally as important is Miller’s point of how the Yankees will be reluctant to pay anyone more than Judge. Somewhat arbitrary, it’s a respect thing. We know it happens. The Mets, for example, paid Francisco Lindor $341 million shortly after Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million deal with the San Diego Padres.

Not too many ball clubs will be suitors for Soto like the Mets or Yankees. The only thing missing from these Mets rumors are the reasons why he’ll end up switching trains at Penn Station and heading from the Bronx to Flushing.