Brian Cashman: Hal Steinbrenner 'went above and beyond' in Yankees' pursuit of Juan Soto

DALLAS — It was astir 10 a.m. Sunday erstwhile the New York Yankees presented Scott Boras, Juan Soto’s agent, pinch their last offer. Hours later, Boras called wide head Brian Cashman to show him that Soto chose to motion a 15-year, $765 cardinal statement pinch the New York Mets that tin scope $805 cardinal complete the life of the contract.

The Yankees were arsenic kept successful the acheronian astir Soto’s negotiations arsenic the public. Throughout the process, location were moments erstwhile the Yankees believed they were successful the lead, only to consciousness that the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets had emerged arsenic frontrunners astatine various times. But the truth became clear erstwhile Boras made the last telephone Sunday night. Cashman past held a convention telephone pinch Yankees proprietor Hal Steinbrenner and squad president Randy Levine to pass them that Soto was nary longer theirs.

The Yankees’ last connection for Soto was 16 years, $760 million. But because of the escalator clause successful Soto’s statement that tin return his full net to $805 million, the Yankees were $45 cardinal short. Cashman said he did not cognize if Soto chose the Mets simply because they were the highest connection aliases if location were different factors astatine play, but he felt Steinbrenner did his champion to support Soto a Yankee for the remainder of his career.

“I would conscionable opportunity Hal went supra and beyond to effort to find a measurement to support Juan Soto successful pinstripes and proceed to support him a portion of our operation arsenic we move guardant and return our shot,” Cashman said. “There’s a batch of different ways to fig this point out, and truthful we’re going to person to fig retired a different measurement without Juan.”

Brian Cashman said he does not regret trading for Juan Soto, moreover though he's a Met. He knew the consequence of it conscionable being a one-year commitment.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) December 9, 2024

Cashman said he did not cognize if Soto would person been a Yankee if they had matched the Mets’ offer. Once the Yankees submitted their last offer, their adjacent connection pinch Boras was erstwhile he told Cashman that he signed pinch the Mets.

“Certainly disappointed the process took america wherever it went, but I’ve been doing this a agelong time,” Cashman said. “At times, things spell your way. Other times, they don’t. But the 1 point that doesn’t alteration and doesn’t extremity is the challenges are always, ‘All right, what’s next? What’s the adjacent opportunity?’ We person a batch of different areas to hole connected this team.

“We person vacancies from free agency, and we’re exploring trades arsenic good arsenic free agency and comparing that to our soul options that we could promote. So those are decisions we person to make. So whether you propulsion it down aliases it doesn’t spell your way, you still person to get aft it and proceed to conflict done each action that’s successful beforehand of you.”

By the clip the Soto sweepstakes ended, Cashman said it was difficult to judge that their connection wasn’t capable because “we went supra and beyond wherever our comfortableness level was.” The Yankees tried engaging Soto and Boras connected a imaginable hold but were told during the play that they were not willing and wanted to trial free agency.

Now that he’s a Met, Cashman besides said he did not regret making the waste and acquisition that sent Michael King, Kyle Higashioka, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez to San Diego for Soto. He besides believes location wasn’t thing they could person done otherwise successful the past twelvemonth to make the acquisition of having Soto immoderate better, different than winning the World Series.

Their title extremity fell short, and their desire to support Soto semipermanent besides fell short. The Yankees are now near pinch figuring retired a scheme connected really they’ll move forward.

“Ultimately, we scheme connected defending our American League title and trying to find a measurement to triumph the World Series successful the adjacent term, meaning 2025.”

(Photo of Hal Steinbrenner hoisting the ALCS trophy aft clinching the pennant connected Oct. 19: Jason Miller / Getty Images)

Chris Kirschner is simply a unit writer for The Athletic covering the New York Yankees. He antecedently covered the Atlanta Hawks from 2018-2022 for The Athletic. Chris was named Georgia's Sportswriter of the Year successful 2021 for his activity covering the Hawks. Chris is simply a autochthonal of Bronx, NY. Follow Chris connected Twitter @chriskirschner