Former Yankees outfielder smacks down bummer Juan Soto rumor in casual takedown

The New York Yankees appear to be earnestly locked in a three-team race for Juan Soto with the Red Sox and Mets, as the big-budget Blue Jays lurk in the periphery. Hal Steinbrenner, the last time we saw him, indicated that he knows what's expected of him and will compete financially with his rivals.

If he ponies up the dough and still loses out to the Mets or Sox? Then it wasn't meant to be (and the onus falls on Soto, who clearly wanted to be something other than a Yankee). If he taps out before the bidding reaches its apex, though? Then the blame is on Hal, and that blame will be LOUD.

That's why Yankees beat writer Randy Miller's hunches received so much attention over the weekend. Miller hinted that he didn't believe Steinbrenner would go over $550 million, and that several bids had already passed $600 million. He suspected the Yankees would eventually finish in fourth -- and, you know what? If $550 million is their number, that's certainly true. The high end of the bidding was expected to be $700+ million before the offseason began. The six-hundreds? Chump change.

Luckily, there's plenty of reason to doubt these rumored limitations. Miller was convinced Aaron Judge was a Giant two offseasons ago and, on a smaller scale, didn't believe the team planned to have a single conversation with Marcus Stroman in 2024 a week before they signed him. He's in the locker room plenty, but often seems keen on doubting the Yankees' high-dollar chases. Steinbrenner put a stop to that fear-mongering two years ago when he stepped in and gave Judge what he wanted. Whether he signs Soto or not, it would seem somewhat ridiculous to believe he's already out.

Don't believe us? Ask Clint Frazier, the former Yankees outfielder who didn't exactly relish Miller's time in the locker room during his tenure with the club, split between the bigs and minors. Frazier opened up on a podcast several years back about Miller stalking him through the farm, looking for dirt with an odd vendetta.

And, just when we most wanted to see him, Frazier returned to toss dirt towards his former enemy on Sunday.

Former Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier smacks down Randy Miller's Juan Soto reporting

While it remains unclear whether or not Miller has a vicious burner hell-bent on targeting Frazier, it is true that Miller has taken some leaps in recent years that paint the Yankees in either a negative or inactive light.

The past few times he's taken these chances, the Yankees have either reversed course to prove him wrong or never had any intention of doing what he claimed.

We may not all have detailed personal histories with Miller the way Frazier does, but it certainly feels better to read a rebuke after a report like this than believe it wholesale.