Juan Soto finally gives clear answer about upcoming free agency

We often hear that the truth hurts, an expression New York Yankees fans can sympathize with based on star slugger Juan Soto's recent comments.

On Tuesday, the inaugural Subway Series of the 2024 MLB campaign between the Yankees and the crosstown rival New York Mets kicked off. Before the two-game clash at Citi Field, Jon Heyman of the New York Post interviewed Soto and asked the outfielder about his looming free agency.

While it may not be what the Bronx Bombers faithful want to hear, Soto was transparent and candid with his reply. At the very least, there finally seems to be some clarity surrounding the matter.

Yankees slugger Juan Soto finally gives a clear answer about upcoming free agency

"We will see," Soto said in response to Heyman presenting him with the idea that the Mets could be a potential suitor for his services. "In the offseason, we will figure it out. I'll let [agent Scott Boras] do his thing. We're going to see."

As a follow-up to that interaction, Heyman stressed that Soto is "loving the Yankees," demonstrated by the 25-year-old's affinity for his teammates -- particularly Aaron Judge.

"It’s been fun -- great teammates, great players … It’s nice to hit in front of [Aaron Judge]. It just makes my job easier, and hopefully, I can make his job a little easier, too.”

Regardless, the Yanks knew what they signed up for when they pulled off the blockbuster with the San Diego Padres for Soto this past December. They acquired him with only one year remaining on his current contract.

Questions surrounding Soto and his long-term outlook in New York have naturally lingered. In response, the three-time All-Star has done his best to prevent his contractual status from causing distractions in the clubhouse. However, he also hasn't evaded queries about his future, with his interaction with Heyman serving as the latest example.

No matter how happy Soto is with the Yankees, he has no reason to show his hand. The former has all the leverage in negotiations as one of the best players in baseball firmly in the prime of his career. Why would he jeopardize that by expressing satisfaction with his current situation? Instead, his ominous remarks should only work in his favor in due time.

Soto has been exceptional in his first year in pinstripes. He leads the majors in walks (63) and on-base percentage (.431). Moreover, he has 18 home runs, and 56 RBIs, paired with a .305 batting average and a .563 slugging percentage.

A lot can change between now and the offseason, meaning this is only the latest news of the Soto saga. More updates will surface in the coming weeks/months.