Sports
Was Game 5 Juan Soto’s last hurrah with the Yankees? ‘I hope he’s here forever’
NEW YORK — At 1:27 a.m., Juan Soto stepped out of the New York Yankees’ clubhouse for the last time this season. Just before exiting, he turned to the clubhouse attendants and offered a final farewell.
“See you guys,” Soto said.
Thus began the unofficial start of Soto’s long-awaited free agency, with projections that he could command at least half a billion dollars from the franchise that ultimately signs him. His contract could surpass Shohei Ohtani’s average annual value, especially considering Soto just turned 26 and is among baseball’s most elite players.
After fielding numerous questions about his future, Soto sat at his locker, contemplating the staggering sum his bank account might reach in the coming months. He is not just a generational talent; he is poised to earn generational wealth. When asked if it had sunk in that he might earn at least $500 million, Soto smiled knowingly.
“It’s been on my mind for a while now,” he remarked.
Even well after the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the World Series, Soto remained in full uniform, lost in thought as he stared at his locker, trying to make sense of the Yankees’ disappointing season.
Back in February, Soto was convinced the Yankees had more than enough talent to win it all. However, the Dodgers exposed the critical flaws that plagued the Yankees all year. When Alex Verdugo struck out to seal a 4-1 series defeat, Soto lingered in the dugout longer than any other player. Perched atop the bench with his batting helmet and gloves still on, he was ready for a final at-bat that never came. As he watched the Dodgers celebrate, frustration washed over him. Still, he was able to express gratitude for what the Yankees had accomplished, even if it didn’t culminate in a championship.
Anthony Volpe is watching the Dodgers celebrate on the top step. Juan Soto is sitting with his batting gloves on and helmet. pic.twitter.com/aswS9uCEf7
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 31, 2024
He reflected on the possibility of this being his last game in pinstripes, calling it a “tough one” to end on. Despite appreciating every moment of the year, he maintained that no team holds an advantage over the others as he enters free agency.
“I feel like every team has the same opportunities when I go into free agency,” Soto said. “I wouldn’t say any team has an advantage. We’ll evaluate what each has to offer.”
Soto stands out as the rare superstar who openly acknowledges his individual achievements, understanding that his performance will dictate his value. He realizes that he just finished the best season of his career, raising the question: Why would he leave the Yankees? He thrived hitting in front of Aaron Judge all year and is likely to finish among the top five in American League MVP voting. Few lineups could offer the kind of protection the Yankees can, not only enhancing his stats, but increasing his chances of returning to the World Series stage.
“This year will stay in my heart for the rest of my life,” Soto said of the 2024 Yankees. “It was really special. I’m proud of what I accomplished, largely thanks to Judge. The hard work I put in during the offseason paid off. I’m proud of myself and this group because they made it easy for me. I’m not sure what next year holds.”
A close teammate admitted to The Athletic that he had no inkling of Soto’s intentions in free agency, only merely suggesting that Soto genuinely enjoyed being a Yankee this year. He’s never been able to read what Soto wants in free agency.
It’s crucial to note that the Yankees were not Soto’s choice in 2024. They pursued him, believing he could be the missing piece for a title run. When it became clear he would join the Yankees, Soto felt excitement at being part of an organization consistently in playoff contention — an important factor for him as he weighs his options.
Reports suggest Soto might not have even been a Yankee if not for the late Peter Seidler, owner of the San Diego Padres, who wanted him to remain in San Diego for the duration of his career. Soto told The Athletic that he was open to signing a long-term extension with the Padres because of how loaded their roster is. He never sought a trade, believing he would play for San Diego in 2024 until the organization’s direction changed after Seidler’s death.
Juan Soto and Aaron Judge combined to become one of baseball’s most formidable duos in 2024. (Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
There’s a prevailing notion that New York, with its strong Dominican roots and proximity to Soto’s home country, gives the Yankees and Mets an edge. However, Soto downplayed this aspect in his decision-making process. What will weigh heavily on his mind in the coming months is the realization that the Yankees possess a formidable core of stars, equal to any other organization in baseball.
“Leaving a winning team is always difficult, and this place was truly special,” Soto said. “I’ve had a blast here. Regardless of where I end up, I’ll be happy for my teammates and the connections I’ve made. This group is exceptional. In the end, we’ll see what happens.”
Yankees fans have made their desires clear — they want Soto to remain in pinstripes for the entirety of his career. They’ve chanted “Re-sign Soto!” throughout the season, arriving at Yankee Stadium with replica blank checks bearing his name. His teammates have publicly lobbied for his return, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. boldly stating he should receive $700 million. Jasson Domínguez expressed his hope to learn from Soto, urging the Yankees to do whatever it takes to keep him.
“You have to give him the cash,” Domínguez said earlier in the World Series. “At the end of the day, after that at-bat in Cleveland, I would give him a blank check. Here’s whatever you want. Stay here.”
When asked what advice he would give Soto in free agency, Giancarlo Stanton’s message was: “Stay with us.”
There’s a palpable sense of urgency within the Yankees clubhouse and fan base to retain Soto, recognizing his immense value. Without him, the Yankees’ roster will be depleted in 2025. Fans have already begun to envision the next decade alongside him and Judge at the top of the order.
When asked if the fans’ desire for him to stay would influence his decision, Soto acknowledged the impact of their support on the Yankees’ ownership.
“Probably, it will impact the decision of ownership,” Soto said. “I’m really thankful for the fans. They’ve been incredible.”
Last offseason, Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, had his four biggest clients — Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Cody Bellinger — take their free agency deep into the process. Soto expressed no concern about a similar scenario this year, suggesting he wouldn’t mind if it happened again.
He also refrained from committing to instructing Boras to give the Yankees the final opportunity to match any offer in free agency, indicating that his single season in New York does not provide any clear advantage over other teams.
Soto would not directly answer whether he wishes to return to the Yankees next season, stating he plans to consider all offers that come his way. For fans hoping for warm sentiments about his future with the Yankees, his remarks on the final day of the season fell short.
This uncertainty loomed in the New York clubhouse as Soto sat in the dugout, watching the Dodgers celebrate on Yankee Stadium’s infield. He pondered what could have been while shifting focus to what he called “the next step” in his career.
For his manager, that next step is securing a long-term contract with the Yankees.
“I hope he’s here forever,” Aaron Boone said.
(Top photo of Soto: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL
CITY SECTION FINALS
FRIDAY
At Birmingham
DIVISION I
#1 Taft d. #3 Cleveland, 25-23, 25-14, 25-21
DIVISION IV
#7 Maywood CES d. #4 Math & Science College Prep, 25-17, 25-17, 25-23
At Venice
DIVISION II
#4 Marquez d. #6 Narbonne, 23-25, 25-19, 29-27, 25-16
DIVISION III
#13 Birmingham d. #2 Legacy, 25-20, 17-25, 31-33, 25-21, 15-10
SATURDAY
At Birmingham
OPEN DIVISION
#3 Chatsworth d. #1 Granada Hills, 24-26, 25-21, 25-14, 25-18
DIVISION V
314 Franklin d. #13 Rancho Dominguez, 25-18, 25-19, 25-16
SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
THURSDAY
At Home Sites
DIVISION 9
Vasquez d. Tarbut V’ Torah, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-10
FRIDAY
At Cerritos College
DIVISION 1
#1 Mira Costa d. #3 Loyola, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22
DIVISION 4
Sunny Hills d. Royal, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23
At Home Sites
DIVISION 5
Bishop Diego d. St. Anthony, 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23
DIVISION 8
Temescal Canyon d. West Valley, 24-26, 25-16, 25-19, 25-23
SATURDAY
At Cerritos College
DIVISION 2
Orange Lutheran d. Edison, 3-1
DIVISION 3
Windward d. St, John Bosco, 24-26, 25–21, 25-22, 25-20
DIVISION 6
Culver City d. Garden Grove, 27-25, 25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 15-9
Sports
It’s Game 7, and we have a bet locked in as the Cavaliers and legacies are on the line against the Pistons
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The NBA takes a lot of flak for having meaningless games, and I can definitely understand it, watching on a random Wednesday in January. However, the playoffs have delivered over and over to viewers and rewarded us for putting up with garbage regular-season games.
This will be the fourth Game 7 of the playoffs. Three series have been sweeps, and the other three have been six games. That shows competitive hoops. Now, how do we bet this Game 7 in the Eastern Conference?
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew it. After not winning a road game all postseason, they took Game 5 in surprising fashion. It looked like they were going to win in six games. After all, they hadn’t lost a game at home in the postseason.
Instead, Detroit came out and blitzed the Cavs, never giving them a chance to get their footing. They lost in an ugly fashion and now have to figure out a way to win a game on the road.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden drives to the basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second half of Game 5 in the second-round NBA playoffs in Detroit on May 13, 2026. (Duane Burleson/AP)
It isn’t just the Cavs’ fate that rests in this game. It is also the legacy of James Harden and, to a lesser extent, Donovan Mitchell.
We know that Mitchell is a very good player, but he isn’t regarded as one of the best players ever. Harden is. Unfortunately, Harden has struggled in Game 7s. He’s averaged 19.1 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds. That’s not terrible, but looking at his shooting percentages, he is at 35.3% and 22.2% in those games. He actually is 4-4 overall in the games, but in his past three, he has scored a combined 34 points over 113 minutes.
The Detroit Pistons seem to like playing with their backs against the wall. They are a gritty team, so I suppose it makes sense.
Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren reacts after allowing a pass to go out of bounds in the second half of Game 4 of the second-round NBA playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on May 11, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
Cade Cunningham continues to deliver for the team, and he finally got some help in Game 6 from Jalen Duren. This was never going to be an easy series for Duren, but it feels like he is taking more time to mature than others. He definitely improved this year, but the consistency they need from him just isn’t there yet.
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Now as the team goes home they will need Duren to be a beast on the glass. If he can keep the Pistons in the rebounding battle, they should win this game with ease. They won Game 6 by just three rebounds, but that takes away a big dimension of what Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley do for the Cavs. It isn’t everything, though, as the Pistons won the rebounding battle in both losses in Cleveland.
I don’t see this being a runaway game for the Pistons. Mitchell and Cunningham likely will cancel each other out with scoring. Harden needs to establish himself as the third-best player on the floor. I haven’t seen him do that in the postseason, yet.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden talk during Game 2 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs vs. the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Ohio. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)
This is the second Game 7 of the playoffs for both of the clubs, so it isn’t like either will be caught off guard about what this entails.
If I look at it objectively, I think the Cavs have the better players. However, the Pistons have looked significantly better this season, and definitely in the playoffs overall. Both are prone to issues and slipping. The Cavs shouldn’t be as they are a veteran team.
This game has to be won by Cleveland, though. There is too much riding on the franchise and legacies of guys for them to not prepare properly for it. Maybe that’s weak analysis, but I’m taking the Cavs with the points and I do think they win outright. I expect a monster game from Mitchell, and Harden should get 10+ assists.
Either way, whoever wins will lose to the New York Knicks.
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION 1
Murrieta Mesa 10, Valley View 0
Orange Lutheran 10, Millikan 0
Chino Hills 2, El Modena 1
Etiwanda 14, Agoura 13
Palos Verdes 3, Riverside King 2
Cypress 4, Fullerton 2
Ayala 11, Charter Oak 1
Riverside Poly 7, California 3
Norco 2, Marina 1
DIVISION 3
Rancho Cucamonga 9, Paloma Valley 1
Great Oak 5, West Torrance 2
Edison 8, El Segundo 5
El Toro 9, Colton 0
Murrieta Valley 9, Redondo Union 8
North Torrance 5, Beaumont 0
West Ranch 7, Trabuco Hills 6
San Juan Hills 8, Riverside North 7
Oak Park 10, Cerritos Valley Christian 4
Highland 7, Northview 2
La Serna 4, Carter 0
Dos Pueblos 5, Crescenta Valley 0
Liberty 10, Arcadia 3
DIVISION 5
Anaheim 11, Flintridge Sacred Heart 0
Patriot 11, Arrowhead Christian 9
Temple City 9, Rancho Christian 6
Grace 11, Buena Park 0
Crean Lutheran 3, Alemany 2
Shadow Hills 8, Cerritos 3
San Marcos 10, Leuzinger 0
South El Monte 7, Long Beach Wilson 5
Covina 11, Garden Grove Santiago 1
Muir 8, Rio Hondo Prep 7
Santa Monica 6, Katella 5
Ontario 6, Norwalk 2
Northwood 18, Duarte 11
DIVISION 7
Bloomington 9, Fillmore 8
Miller 11, Savanna 3
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 11, Riverside Springs Magnolia 4
Faith Baptist 18, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 4
Twentynine Palms 16, Rancho Alamitos 15
Riverside Notre Dame 12, Costa Mesa 2
Firebaugh 9, Pioneer 8
Chadwick 6, Desert Christian Academy 1
Cathedral City 2, Artesia 1
Orange 9, Bellflower 3
Santa Ana 10, Hawthorne 0
Culver City 9, Temecula Prep 8
DIVISION 8
Banning 20, Redlands Adventist 3
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION 1
La Habra at Murrieta Mesa, noon
Chino Hills at Orange Lutheran
Etiwanda at Westlake
La Mirada at Palos Verdes, noon
Garden Grove Pacifica at Cypress, noon
Ayala at JSerra
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Oaks Christian, 1 p.m.
Norco at Riverside Poly
DIVISION 2
Bonita at Ganesha, 11 a.m.
Whittier Christian at Warren
Simi Valley at St. Paul
Moorpark at Lakewood St. Joseph, 11 a.m.
Temescal Canyon at San Clemente, 12:30 p.m.
Huntington Beach at Camarillo, Monday
Saugus at Vista Murrieta, 12:30 p.m.
Mater Dei at Gahr, noon
DIVISION 3
Great Oak at Rancho Cucamonga
Edison at El Toro, Monday
Murrieta Valley at North Torrance
West Ranch at San Juan Hills
Riverside Prep at Oak Park, 12:30 p.m.
La Serna at Highland
Dos Pueblos at La Salle, Monday
Villa Park at Liberty, 1 p.m.
DIVISION 4
St. Bonaventure at Harvard-Westlake, 11 a.m.
Apple Valley at Oxnard
Don Lugo at Monrovia, 1:30 p.m.
La Quinta at Mira Costa
Rio Mesa at Mission Viejo, 10 a.m.
Oak Hills at Sunny Hills
Ramona at Paramount
Burbank Burroughs at Rosary, Monday
DIVISION 5
Anaheim vs. Santa Clara at Beck Park
Temple City at Patriot
Crean Lutheran at Grace
Viewpoint at Shadow Hills
San Marcos at Irvine University, noon
South El Monte at Covina
Santa Monica at Muir, 10:30 a.m.
Northwood at Ontario, 1 p.m.
DIVISION 6
Irvine at Lakeside
Alhambra at Heritage
Eastside at Granite Hills, noon
El Monte at St. Genevieve
Sierra Vista vs. Southlands Christian at Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd
Hesperia Christian vs. St. Monica Prep at Memorial Park, 2 p.m.
Arroyo at Lancaster
San Jacinto at Jurupa Valley
DIVISION 7
Bloomington at Ramona Convent
Miller at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel
Faith Baptist at Twentynine Palms, Monday
Firebaugh vs. Riverside Notre Dame at Ramona
Chadwick at Cathedral City
Orange at Victor Valley, 11 a.m.
Santa Ana at Culver City, Monday
Windward at Edgewood, Monday at 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION 8
ACE at Avalon
Bolsa Grande vs. San Bernardino, Monday at San Bernardino College
Workman at Glendale
Cobalt at Santa Rosa Academy
Bell Gardens vs. Brentwood at John Anson Ford Park
Pomona Catholic vs. Capistrano Valley Christian at Laguna Hills, 2 p.m.
Fontana at Banning
Hawthorne MSA at Arroyo Valley, 1 p.m.
Note: Quarterfinals May 20; Semifinals May 23; Finals May 28-30 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine.
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