The New York Yankees acquired Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres late in 2023.

They want him to contribute to what they hope is a successful playoff run in 2024.

The only downside of the acquisition is that he will be theirs for the upcoming season only, at least for now.

Soto is determined to reach free agency, and is highly unlikely to sign an extension as a result.

Still, the Yanks were willing to take the risk and bring him in anyway.

Getting him to sign for the long-term would probably take at least $450 or $500 million, if not more.

He is a true star in his prime, and will be 26 when he hits the market.

If the Yankees get him to sign on the dotted line eventually, it’s highly likely that he will earn more than current captain Aaron Judge, who signed a $360 million pact ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Media in Tampa asked Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner if he would be okay with giving Soto a larger contract than Judge.

This is what he said:

“Would the #Yankees pay Juan Soto more than Aaron Judge? Hal Steinbrenner: ‘I guess that’s an interesting question, but not one I’ve thought about. I’m not sure Judge would care if we got Juan Soto for many years to come. But the market is what the market is, and he’s going to cost what he costs. We’ll just have to wait and see,’” Yankees insider Bryan Hoch tweeted, with Steinbrenner’s quotes.

The managing partner of the Yankees is right: Judge probably wouldn’t mind to see the Yanks give Soto a larger contract than him.

In fact, that’s part of the market dynamics and inflation.

In addition, Soto will be more than four years younger than Judge at the moment of reaching the open market.

Judge knows that there will be no Soto on the Yanks if it means he can’t have a larger contract than him.

Given that his priority will be winning a World Series, it’s probably a given that he will give his blessing to a potential Soto signing.