"Yankees know it's a lost cause" - Fans believe Juan Soto will not return to Bronx as GM Brian Cashman confirms interest in Pete Alonso

The New York Yankees may be hot on the pursuit of Juan Soto, but their GM Brian Cashman has confirmed that he has also spoken with Scott Boras regarding Pete Alonso. Cashman says that he had a conversation about the availability of the New York Mets first baseman with Boras, who represents both Soto and Alonso, arguably the two best free agent sluggers available in this off-season.

However, many Yankees fans fear that this move is a contingency plan in case they are unable to re-sign Soto, as they expressed their concerns on social media.

Soto enjoyed an excellent campaign with the Yankees, but they were unable to sign him to a long-term contract extension that would keep him at the Bronx beyond the 2024 season. Soto asserted that he is unsure as to where he will be playing next year after the Yankees ended their season with a World Series loss last week.

However, many fans on X, formerly Twitter, felt that the Yankees would not be able to sign Soto in the off-season.

"Yankees already moving on from Juan Soto because they know it's a lost cause," retweeted Ben Yoel, a former beat writer for MLB and a Mets fan.

"Cashman is really serious?" asked one fan quizically.

"We have enough low batting average swing and miss guys," posted another fan.

Some fans believe Soto could be playing for the Mets next season and Alonso will head across New York to join the Yankees.

"Mets getting Soto and were stuck with Pete Alonso,” said one fan.

"I don’t want Alonso! I want Soto to sign with the Yankees!" one fan exclaimed.

"Don’t do it Pete unless it’s a Soto for Alonso move," another fan wrote.

The Yankees and the Mets are considered the two favorites to sign Soto, the top free agent of this winter.

Juan Soto expected to earn record-breaking free agent deal

Juan Soto and Pete Alonso are both free agents represented by Scott Boras (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Juan Soto has become a free agent for the first time in his career since making his major league debut with the Washington Nationals nearly seven years ago. He won the World Series as a 20-year-old with the Nationals in 2019, but he later declined a 15-year, $440 million extension to stay with the team, which would have set a record for the largest contract in the history of MLB.

Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2022 before he joined the New York Yankees on a one-year, $31 million deal prior to the start of this season. He batted .288/.419/.569 during the regular season with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. Soto was also the best hitter for the Yankees in the postseason, going 16-49 with 14 walks, nine RBIs and four home runs.

Therefore, Soto is expected to land the largest contract ever offered to a position player, worth more than half a billion dollars.