"Nationals won World Series after losing Bryce Harper; Padres got better after Juan Soto" - MLB analyst says Yankees don't direly need star free agent

Juan Soto's free agency has the MLB community staying vigilant on where the Dominican superstar would sign. Many believe the Yankees should prioritize re-signing Soto to become a serious World Series contender.

However, an MLB analyst doesn't think the Bronx Bombers direly need the services of the 2019 World Series champion. Analyst Don La Greca, co-host of The Michael Kay Show said as much on yesterday's episode of the show.

"What happened after Washington [Nationals] lost Bryce Harper? They went out and won a World Series. The Padres got better after losing Juan Soto, so don't make it seem like this is your only way to win," said La Greca.

"I'm not saying that the Yankees are definitely going to be better or even as good if they lose [Juan] Soto. I can tell you they're still going to be the team that they've been for the last 30 years, competing for a championship every year. Same with the Dodgers," he added.

Nevertheless, Soto was integral in the Yankees' first World Series appearance since 2009. With Aaron Judge, Soto became one of, if not, the best slugging duo in the MLB in 2024.

Soto’s 2024 season with the Bronx Bombers was among his best in the big leagues. The Dominican slugger hit a career-high 41 homers, marking his first season over 40. He also delivered in the postseason, posting a .327 average, 4 homers, 9 RBIs, and a 1.101 OPS.

Ex-MLB star suggests Yankees don't re-sign Juan Soto

Former catcher Chris Gimenez, who spent ten years in MLB, doesn't think Soto should be the priority for the Bronx Bombers. Expectations are that Soto will acquire a deal between $500,000,000 to $700,000,000.

Speaking on MLB Network Radio, Gimenez suggested that Yankees don't re-sign Soto, and use the money to address other issues in the lineup. The Bronx Bombers showed vulnerabilities in the postseason, which Dodgers players Joe Kelly and Miguel Rojas threw shade at recently.

Gimenez felt that the Mets needed Juan Soto more than the Yankees. The former catcher believes Soto is tailor-made for the Mets, particularly with Francisco Lindor, who has already expressed interest in seeing the 2019 World Series winner as his teammate.

Even though he praised the Yankees for acquiring Jazz Chisholm and extending Luke Weaker, Gimenez stated the Bombers should rework the mistakes in the infield that cost them the World Series. For him, saving the money to sign Soto thus comes first.