Yankees star asserts team is better off without Juan Soto

One New York Yankees player made a case that his team doesn't miss Mets slugger Juan Soto.

Aug 27, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) looks back before an at bat during the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While five teams were considered finalists in the Juan Soto free agency sweepstakes last offseason, all indications are that Soto's ultimate decision came down to the New York Mets and the Yankees.

Of course, Soto ultimately chose the Mets. And, therefore, signed the largest contract in sports history ($765 million). But there were reports that Soto was leaning toward the Yankees just a few hours before changing his mind and committing to Queens for the next 15 seasons.

This was a tough pill for Yankees fans to swallow. Not only did they just lose an MVP-caliber player who helped carry the team to the World Series, but they lost him to their cross-town rival. However, the Yankees didn't wallow in their misery, as they quickly pivoted toward signing southpaw Max Fried, trading for Cody Bellinger, and signing Paul Goldschmidt, among making other intriguing moves in the wake of missing out on Soto.

Aug 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) runs out a single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

New York Yankees Star Admits Team Doesn't Miss Juan Soto

While the Yankees aren't on pace to produce as good a regular season in 2025 compared to when they had Soto in 2024, this isn't because of their outfield struggling. Aaron Judge is producing another generational season, while Bellinger (.281 average with a .843 OPS, 26 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases) and Trent Grisham (.248 average with an .836 OPS and 28 home runs) have both been great.

Read more: Mets could sign World Series hero after Red Sox release

Therefore, there's a strong case to be made that the Yankees don't miss Soto's production. And Yankees standout infielder Jazz Chisholm not only shared this stance but took it a step further when speaking with NJ Advance Media on August 28.

NJ Advance Media's Randy Miller published an August 29 article where he's quoted asking Chisholm whether the Yankees miss Soto in the lineup. Miller wrote that Chisholm responded by shaking his head and saying, "Nope. We've got [Grisham] and [Bellinger] instead."

Miller then apparently asked Chisholm whether he thinks the Yankees are now better off without Soto — and Chisholm nodded his head, as if to say yes.

‘Nope,’ Yankees not missing Juan Soto … even a little https://t.co/sZVXnlfsdT

— njdotcom (@njdotcom) August 29, 2025

While Chisholm was always going to have his current teammates' backs, it's fascinating to hear him share this opinion about where his team stands without Soto in the lineup.

Ultimately, fans will have to wait and see what both Bellinger and Grisham can do in the postseason (if the Yankees do make the postseason) before a clear verdict about whether they're truly better off without Soto can be reached.