Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Yankees Were Sure Juan Soto Was Staying – Until One Lunch Changed Everything

All over lunch?

Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

It wasn’t a bidding war. It wasn’t a heated negotiation. It was lunch. The Yankees believed Juan Soto was theirs. They’d brought him in for what turned out to be one of the finest seasons of his career, watched him thrive in pinstripes, and were ready to make it permanent. By early December, talks on a long-term deal had reached the final stretch. Everyone at Yankee headquarters assumed it was a done deal.

Then came one final request: time for lunch.

ALSO READ: Does Juan Soto Really Take a Private Jet to Mets Games?

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Yankees were confident on December 11 that Juan Soto would sign with them. But when Soto asked for a few hours to consult with his family, everything changed. By the time the Yankees circled back, Soto had agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, setting a new MLB record.

How much money Juan Soto makes in 37 seconds 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wJe5UGucCc
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 8, 2025

“He asked for a bit more time, was going to discuss it with his family during lunch,” Nightengale wrote. “And the next thing they knew, he was signing with the Mets after being persuaded by family members.”

ALSO READ: This Is the Worst 50-Game Start in Juan Soto’s Career

It’s a revelation that only adds to the sting for Yankees fans. Juan Soto had reportedly been open to returning. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay said as much last week, revealing that Soto’s preference was to re-sign in the Bronx, until his family convinced him otherwise.

Juan Soto: Regret or Relief?

From the Yankees’ perspective, it’s a missed opportunity that didn’t slip through their fingers in a negotiation room or because of a lowball offer. They were prepared to pay. They were reportedly $5 million short of the $765 million figure that Steve Cohen’s New York Mets offered. But one conversation at a lunch table shifted the course of two franchises.

Juan Soto gets it done with a sac fly and the game is tied at 1-1! pic.twitter.com/Xn5oPFZ4q5
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 26, 2025

The deal Juan Soto ultimately signed includes an opt-out after 2029, though the Mets have the option to void it, which would extend the contract’s value to a staggering $805 million.

For the Yankees, there’s a small dose of consolation. They’ve started 2025 on a tear, with a 32–20 record and a high-powered offense that’s firing without Juan Soto. They used the money they’d earmarked for Soto to sign Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, and Devin Williams, all of whom have played pivotal roles in the team’s strong start.

And Juan Soto, for all his talent, hasn’t quite looked like the $765 million man so far. His production has dipped slightly, adding a layer of retrospective comfort to the Yankees’ front office.

ALSO READ: Boos, Turned Backs, and No Fairytale Ending for Juan Soto in Bronx Return

Still, it’s hard not to wonder what might’ve been. Juan Soto, ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup, was a dream on the verge of becoming reality.

Until it was gone.

Juan Soto

Mets

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.