Juan Soto is giving every team hope they can sign him this offseason

The New York Yankees are 36-17, arguably the hottest team in baseball. It's a dramatic turnaround from last season, when New York was hovering around .500 and struggling to put runs on the board. The key difference? Well, you probably know the answer.

Juan Soto arrived via offseason trade and immediately delivered positive results for the Yankees. There are other factors at play, of course. Aaron Judge is healthy, the Yanks' pitching has improved by leaps and bounds, and the front office made several solid upgrades along the margins. But, at the end of the day, Soto has been New York's best player and the driving force behind its remarkable success.

He's putting up MVP numbers in the heart of the Yankees lineup, slashing .315/.413/.581 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 203 AB. The 25-year-old is already a fan favorite, the sort of mega-star who typically finds his way to Yankee Stadium at some point. We are talking about the MLB's prestige franchise, a hotbed for all-time greats. Soto just fits in New York.

And yet, there is pervasive uncertainty about what the future holds for Soto and the Yankees. In the final year of his contract, Soto is expected to rebuff extension offers and enter the unrestricted free agent pool. Meanwhile, Hal Steinbrenner has talked openly about cutting costs, which is never the most heartening sign for a fanbase ahead of a pivotal offseason.

The Yankees are never short on cash, but the front office can decide to not spend it. If Soto enters free agency, teams will line up around the block to drop a bag the size of the Empire State Building. Soto isn't even keeping the focus on this season — he's welcoming offers from other teams with open arms.

Yankees' Juan Soto leaves door wide open for free agent offers from other teams

Frankly, this is a wild statement from Soto in *checks notes* May. Generally, players dodge these questions like a fastball aimed at the head.

"I'm focused on winning games right now."

"I'm with the Yankees right now and that's what I'm focused on."

"I'm focused on the here and now."

"My agent and I will discuss that in the offseason. For now, I'm focused..."

We've heard it all a million times before. For Soto to openly court opposing offers in the wee days of summer is not unprecedented, but it is uncommon. Especially for a superstar of his stature playing for a very competitive team in baseball's largest market. He's winning games for the Yankees — a dream for 99 percent of baseball enthusiasts born outside the Boston city limits — and he's still like, "yep, I'll leave for the right price."

The most obvious contender for Soto's services resides across town in Queens. The New York Mets have the deepest pockets in the MLB and could relish the opportunity to pluck Soto away from their in-city rivals. The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers always have money, too, while the Toronto Blue Jays tried to trade for Soto over the winter.

There is no doubt that the Yankees want to keep Soto around and remain competitive, but he is very clearly setting the stage for an offseason departure if the Yankees get too cute and don't put forth an offer to his liking.