Yankees Rival Executive Gets Honest About Juan Soto and Aaron Judge Breakup

Despite the New York Yankees' misses this offseason, there's a case to be made that they're better off because of it.

Oct 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates with outfielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a three run home run during the tenth inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The low point of the New York Yankees' offseason was superstar slugger Juan Soto rejecting their 16-year, $760 million contract offer in favor of a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets.

There have been other disappointing moments as well; specifically Roki Sasaki not including the Yankees as one of the three finalists when deciding which MLB team he wanted to sign with (although there's an argument to be made that he was going to the Los Angeles Dodgers all along).

Despite these misses combined with there still being other holes that the Yankees need to address this offseason (such as second base and a left-handed reliever), fans have got to be feeling content about the moves New York's front office has made to improve its roster for 2025.

Even rival executives are willing to admit that the Yankees have rebounded from the Soto sweepstakes, as a January 18 article from Joel Sherman of the New York Post revealed.

"As one rival AL executive said about the Yankees, 'Breaking up [Aaron] Judge and Soto is real. It was special. And it might bite them. But with their budget, they were better off with what they did. They would have had Soto and a lot more holes. This way they have a better overall team,'" the article wrote.  

Steve Cohen now operating with a Mets budget is always subject to change https://t.co/olIbJnl7l7 pic.twitter.com/RRhNdWeSMY

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) January 18, 2025

Any Yankees fan would seemingly agree with this sentiment. While having Soto back for the next decade-plus would have been a dream, the reality that New York has been forced to reckon with could result in more success.