Yankees star Juan Soto has eyebrow-raising comments on upcoming free agency

New York Yankees star outfielder Juan Soto has a big payday coming, and he's prepared to leave the Bronx to find it. 

Soto, eligible for free agency this fall, told reporters on Friday that nothing was off the table regarding where he'll play in 2025 and beyond. 

"We ain't closing any doors," Soto said, via Sammy Levitt of 97.3 The Fan. "Whoever wants to talk about deals and stuff, I'm open to deal with anybody."

Amazingly, Soto is playing for his third team in three seasons. A player of his stature doesn't hit the market often, and since he was acquired in a trade from the San Diego Padres last December, the widespread belief has been that he'd remain a Yankee long-term. 

However, doubt surrounding a potential agreement between the two sides is growing. 

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has expressed his desire for Soto to finish his career in pinstripes. But he recently stated that the team's current payroll is "not sustainable" because of luxury-tax penalties, meaning the star slugger might be out of their price range. 

Meanwhile, an MLB executive stated that, after barely making a deal work to keep Aaron Judge, it'd be "a stretch" for the Yankees to match Soto's asking price, believed to be in the $500 million range.  

This offseason, the Yankees have $102 million coming off their payroll. However, they also have significant holes to fill on their roster, which makes locking up Soto even more challenging. 

Soto insisted that his focus was on the here and now, with the ultimate goal still being to win a World Series with the Yankees. But that doesn't mean he'll take a discount to stay in New York past this season, especially considering that his agent, Scott Boras, is undoubtedly aiming to secure a historic deal for his client.