Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm powerfully endorse Juan Soto return during Yankees' celebration
During the teeth of the New York Yankees' World Series celebration on Saturday evening, one name was on everyone's lips: Juan Soto, the man who mashed his way through the 10th inning and past the Cleveland Guardians.
Soto's future beyond 2024 has never felt less relevant to the moment. After all, the Yankees traded a Michael King-led package for the 25-year-old generational talent in order to reach the World Series and win it. King and Kyle Higashioka have gone home for the winter; Soto and the Yankees are still alive. The deal was an objective success.
But this close-knit clubhouse wants more, and it was extremely telling that so many Yankees stars sent Soto signals to the media in the immediate wake of the greatest moment of their season to date.
Jazz Chisholm, who rarely stays quiet and whose delightful brashness is a significant part of the total package, put a price tag on Soto's next deal -- and one that Brian Cashman probably wished he hadn't heard.
Yankees star Jazz Chisholm wants Juan Soto to stay for $700 million
Was that direct enough for you? Chisholm, in the heat of the moment, spoke for every fan watching. No price is too high. This Yankees team shouldn't have needed World Series revenue to find the Soto funds, but they're going to get it now.
Clearly, this tight-beyond-expectations team -- which has been pouring out of the dugout to celebrate each monumental October home run -- wants to stay together in the long-term.
ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton carried the same sentiment as Chisholm in his postgame press conference, but he was certainly more direct. Chisholm wanted to see a blank check presented; Stanton was more declarative. It's done. It's getting done. And we're moving on.
Personally, I would love to watch Steve Cohen enter a room and face a hulking, tank top-wearing Giancarlo Stanton holding a Louisville Slugger.
Soto's immediate future is all that matters in the moment, though, and these Budweiser-soaked Yankees are going to get the chance to play for the franchise's 28th ring in large part because of both his swagger and production.
In the biggest moment of the season, Soto followed Stanton's lead, putting up one of his best at-bats of the season against a flustered Hunter Gaddis at his wit's end. He hunted the fastball. He did not miss. He looked like an eternal Yankee.
And, while now is not the time to discuss facts and figures, Soto's Yankees teammates certainly put their claim in early.