Yanks' Juan Soto on free agency – Will hear from “every single team.”

NEW YORK – Just days after losing the World Series, New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto will hit the open market as one of the most sought-after players in recent history.

Soto's talent and age – he turned 26 last week – make him attractive to almost any team.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Soto said shortly after the Yankees’ Game 5 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday. “It will be a great experience. I think every big league player wants to experience that. So it’s exciting to see what it will be like.”

Soto is coming off a tremendous regular season. He posted a .288 batting average, 41 home runs and 129 walks, and an OPS of .989. He ranked fourth in fWAR and is a Gold Glove finalist in right field. He also posted a .327 batting average with four home runs that postseason, helping the Yankees earn a berth in the Fall Classic.

“I’m proud of the year Juan had,” said teammate Aaron Judge. “It was fun coming to work with him every day. Even when the guy hit .320, I saw him hit late after games. When he had an oh-fer, he came to work early. Whatever.” He decides, whatever he and his family decide…he will make the right decision for him. We were definitely lucky to have him here and it would be great to continue playing with him because he is definitely a special player.

Judge and Soto formed a dynamic duo in the Yankees lineup, combining for 99 home runs, but Soto was non-committal about giving the Yankees a head start on re-signing. He doesn't close any doors to them – or to any team in baseball.

“I’m really happy with the city and the team, but at the end of the day we’ll see,” Soto said. “We will look at every situation and every offer we get. I don't know which teams will want to come after me, but I will definitely be open to listening to each and every team. I don’t have any doors closed or anything like that, so we’ll be available to all 30 teams.”

While every team could use his talent, only a handful are likely to be able to afford his huge salary. Both New York teams are a perfect match, as are almost all other major franchises. Soto was asked about the possibility of receiving a deal that could be worth over $600 million.

“It's a lot of money that people talk about here and there, but we'll definitely shake it off,” he said. “What is my worth?”

His agent Scott Boras will answer that question at the general manager meetings in Texas starting next week. If the past is any indication about Boras' top customers, a decision won't be made so quickly. In the meantime, the Yankees can make their pitch — both from the manager's office and the clubhouse.

“I hope he stays here forever, but I also know that I'm happy for him and what the next few months mean for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “But from my perspective, I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Judge added: “I think everyone in this room wants him back. … He just does a lot of the little things that people don't notice that really make him one of the best players, if not the best player in the game.”

Soto was asked what his priority will be in free agency.

“I feel like everyone wants to be on a winning team,” he said. “That’s one of the biggest things you look up to. You want to be a part of it. Even if you don't make it to the last team standing, I think you want to be involved in all of those (games).” That's one of the biggest things I look for.

The Yankees also have a handful of other decisions to make regarding potential free agents, starting with a $17 million option on first baseman Anthony Rizzo for next season. On Thursday, he will have x-rays of two broken fingers he suffered in the postseason. Regardless of the team's decision, Rizzo, 35, said he wants to keep playing.

“I don’t know what the future will bring,” Rizzo said. “Talk to Cash (Brian Cashman) and see what they think. We still have a lot to give in this game in a lot of different ways.”

Pitchers Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle are also free agents, as are infielder Gleyber Torres and outfielder Alex Verdugo.

“I just started thinking about it,” Verdugo said of free agency. “It was the closest group of guys I've ever been with and those guys just touch me because of how much they mean to me and how much they accepted me and let me in. So we have some things to think about, but I definitely want to be back in pinstripes to help us win one.

Soto expressed his desire to win it all after coming up just short against the Yankees. But will it be for the other New York team or someone else? The intrigue will likely be similar to Shohei Ohtani's free agency last offseason, when he signed for more than $700 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who beat the Yankees and won the World Series. Soto's deal probably won't reach Ohtani levels, but it will certainly be rich.

“Leaving any place where there is a winning team? It’s always hard, and this place was definitely special,” Soto said. “It was great fun for me. I was really happy. Whether I'm here or not, I'm really happy for the teammates I have and the people I've met here. That was a very special group.”