MLB insider Ken Rosenthal has jaw-dropping prediction for Juan Soto contract

You know what the best part of having a "How Many Different Photos of Juan Soto's ALCS-Winning Home Run for the New York Yankees Can We Use? Contest" is? Everyone wins, except perhaps Hal Steinbrenner's bank account.

In the buzzing locker room after Soto's smash, everyone from an enthusiastic Jazz Chisholm to a stone-cold Giancarlo Stanton advocated for the soon-to-be 26-year-old slugger's return -- following a World Series win, of course.

The New York Mets have plenty of financial might, but all the conventional wisdom earlier in the year insinuated that the Yankees connection inherently meant plenty to Soto, and that if both offers were in the same ballpark, the pinstripes would win out. Floating hints claimed that a Yankees flameout, paired with a Mets World Series win, might tip the scales ... and then the Yankees went and won the American League, while the Mets went home in the NLCS.

Want to seal the deal, Yankees? Go win the whole damn thing, then earn the right to pay Soto what Ken Rosenthal believes will be an "AAV that starts with a five," according to his Foul Territory appearance ahead of the Fall Classic. Yes, that's $50 million plus per season. While you're in Hollywood, you might want to wander up to the Dodgers' front office and ask how they got those damned deferrals done.

Juan Soto contract details will be $50 million annually -- but will he sign with Yankees?

With every towering fly ball with backspin that Soto strikes, his price nominally increases -- but not by much. After all, every interested party already knew Soto was a God-tier slugger before the postseason began. The Mets have an endless budget set aside. The Yankees should, too. If anything, each Soto homer has made staying with the Yankees more appealing, unlocking an additional level of camaraderie within the organization.

Slightly rising cost aside, this is exactly what the Yankees brought him here to do. You trade for Soto to reach the World Series and win it. You extend him to, hopefully, do it again. There shouldn't be a shred of regret here in either direction.