Yankees $5.85M Star Contradicts Own $700M Juan Soto Ultimatum to Hal Steinbrenner

New York Yankees’ $5.85 million star recently walked back on something he once pushed for. He had publicly pleaded for Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner to re-sign Juan Soto after his 10th-inning, tie-breaking homer in the pennant-clinching Game 5 ALCS win in Cleveland in October 2024. It was vividly during an interview with champagne spraying in the clubhouse when he said, “Pay my guy! Pay Juan Soto! $700 million!” Now, he has turned his back on what he once demanded.

Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham homered recently in the Yankees’ 10-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on August 28, 2025. Their stellar 2025 seasons were the highlight of their teammate Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s postgame remarks. When he was asked if the Yankees miss Juan Soto considering what they have been getting from Bellinger and Grisham in their four-man outfield rotation, Chisholm didn’t react immediately. He took a few seconds, stared down and then shook his head sideways while giving a one-word answer.

“Nope.” He said. Not even a little bit, he confirmed again with with a head shaking no. “We’ve got Grish and Belly instead,” Chisholm stated after the game. Further, Chisholm nodded yes when asked if the Yankees are better off without Juan Soto.

You see, the Yankees aren’t heedless. They are aware that Juan Soto hasn’t been as effective hitting in front of Pete Alonso as he was hitting ahead of Aaron Judge in the Bronx. They also know what Bellinger and Grisham are contributing to the Yankees’ outfield is actually more than what the Mets are getting from Soto this season. Let the numbers speak the rest.

• Batting Average: Bellinger .283; Grisham .248; Soto .248.
• Home Runs: Soto 32; Grisham 27; Bellinger 26.
• RBI: Bellinger 81; Soto 79; Grisham 53.
• OPS: Soto .874; Bellinger .847; Grisham .830.
• WAR: Soto 4.4; Bellinger 4.3; Grisham 3.1.

Jazz Chisholm may have contradicted his ultimatum. However, in doing so, he has highlighted that the Yankees might have really adapted to Bellinger and Grisham’s presence in the outfield.

Why Bellinger and Grisham Make Juan Soto an Afterthought in the Yankees

Just when Juan Soto had hit free agency, he was almost unaffordable for the league. Still, the Yankees offered him a massive 16-year, $760 million deal, more than double what it cost to re-sign Aaron Judge two years earlier. Yet, Soto signed with the Mets turning down the Yankees for just $5 million more on a one-year shorter contract.

Initially, disappointment was the collective emotion in the Bronx. After all, Juan Soto had a major contribution in helping the Yankees reach the World Series. Soon after Brian Cashman brought in Max Fried, Paul Goldschmidt, and Cody Bellinger, that gloomy feeling left. That winter pivot reshaped the roster in a way that’s paying off now.

You see, Soto’s move to the Queens pushed Judge back to his natural spot in right field, where he’s elite. That shift opened more opportunities for Trent Grisham, who is in the middle of a career-best 2025 season. Meanwhile, Cody Bellinger has been just as good.

He’s putting together his best year since his 2019 MVP campaign. Together, Bellinger and Grisham have matched—and even surpassed—Juan Soto’s production this season. In their own way, they are pretty impressive. The only concerning point is both Bellinger and Grisham are set to become free agents after the season. At the same time, with rising young talents like Jasson Dominguez already in the Yankees’ plans and with Spencer Jones hitting for power in Triple-A, the team may have some tough choices to make. Let’s see!