Soto not only one with walk year motivations

When the Yankees first acquired Juan Soto in December, Brian Cashman acknowledged that the slugger could ultimately spend just one season in pinstripes.

“We understand that he’s a free agent at the end of this term,” the general manager said. “We understand that it’s a possible short-term situation.”

Soto, a Scott Boras client expecting a massive payday, is all but guaranteed to test the open market after the 2024 campaign comes to an end. He won’t be the only

Yankee to do so.

The team’s other expected free agents include Gleyber Torres, Alex Verdugo, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, Jonathan Loáisiga and Caleb Ferguson. The Yankees’ hope is that those players will find some inspiration in their impending free agency as the club seeks a return to the playoffs.

“I think anytime a guy is in a free agent or walk year, that’s one of those additional carrots that exist, hopefully, for a guy to make sure, man, I’ve got to do everything possible to put myself in position to be the best I could possibly be,” Aaron Boone, entering the last guaranteed year of his own contract, said at the start of spring training. “Yeah, I think it can be a motivator. I think sometimes it can be a pressure, too, that probably goes the other way. It’s how you handle it. Hopefully it is another one of those things that drives you in the right way to be uber prepared for what’s ahead.”

Boone has used that word — “carrot” — when talking about some of the individuals above, including Verdugo and Torres.

A newcomer like Soto, Verdugo fell short of expectations on and off the field in Boston, his last stop. However, Boone believes there is more in the outfielder’s bat, which has produced roughly league average results over the last three seasons.

“When he goes to swing at a pitch, he can lay the barrel of the bat on the ball,” the manager said. “That’s always kind of been a calling card of his going back to when he was a prospect with the Dodgers. But I also think there’s some thump in there. There’s probably more to tap into. I don’t want him to go chase that necessarily. I want him to just be a good hitter in what we hope’s a really good lineup, but I do feel like there’s a lot more in there.”