Soto, 26, is hands down this winter’s most highly sought-after free agent, valued as much for his elite baseball skills as for his birth date. And in an age of swing-for-the-fences baseball, Soto struck out just 16.7% of the time, while the league whiffed at a 22.2% clip this season. Free agency is “going to be exciting,” Soto told reporters moments after the Yankees lost Game 5 of the World Series, ending the baseball season. The AL champion Yankees had the second-highest MLB payroll, at $309.8 million for their 40-man roster, according to Baseball Prospectus. There's no telling when Soto or other any free agents will come to terms with their 2025 teams.

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