January 10, 2025

NEW YORK — With his contract situation now settled through 2025, Aaron Boone’s order of business involves a plane ticket. The Yankees manager plans to jet to California next week to participate in a high-stakes meeting with Juan Soto, agent Scott Boras and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner.

The Yankees are strongly interested in retaining the 26-year-old Soto, who helped lead the team to the World Series after being acquired from the Padres in December. Soto figures to field significant nine-figure offers in free agency, including from the Mets, who also have a California meeting planned with Soto and Boras.

“As I’ve said all year, what Juan did for us between the lines was pretty special, and [he] put together a remarkable season,” Boone said Monday during a Zoom conference call. “But equally, I was just impressed with the person. Really getting to know him and getting to manage him was a pleasure.

“As I’ve said all year, what Juan did for us between the lines was pretty special, and [he] put together a remarkable season,” Boone said Monday during a Zoom conference call. “But equally, I was just impressed with the person. Really getting to know him and getting to manage him was a pleasure.

“I certainly would love to have him back, obviously. I want him in pinstripes moving forward. But you also know there’s going to be a lot of people competing for that, and who knows where it ends up?”

What kind of full-court press might Soto require? He has already experienced what a full 162-game season in New York would look, sound and feel like, including overtures from fans in the right-field seats waving blank checks in his direction. The trip to the World Series by the organization also remains fresh in the minds of all involved.

Boone said he will likely point to his relationship with Soto, including the ability to have “honest conversations with him.”

“Hopefully it’ll cement the point of how valuable and how much we think of him, not only as a player, but as a person,” Boone said. “I got to live that with him this year. That would be my sales pitch; [discuss] how much we want him, but let the meeting go where it goes.

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