After the postseason, it's free agent season for Juan Soto of the Yankees

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – As October wears on, the Yankees are also closer to hitting Juan Soto's free agency.

There is already tremendous pressure on the Yankees to lock up their left-handed slugger and base machine, a customer of Scott Boras, whose gargantuan price tag could rise even further.

A great postseason performance, coupled with Soto's prime age (he turns 26 on October 25) and his offensive track record could put him at a multi-year contract level of around $600 million.

In free agency, “he's going to have a lot of different opportunities, he's played a lot of different places,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said.

The story continues in the photo gallery

Cashman, speaking before the Yankees' 3-2 win over the Royals on Wednesday in Game 3 of the Division Series, which moved the Yanks just one win away from advancing to the AL Championship Series, did not discount Soto's potential decisions in free agency away.

Yankees: How the Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. felt about his harsh treatment from the Kansas City crowd

Because Soto has played in Washington, San Diego and New York, “he can compare his experiences on where he's been and what's good in each place,” Cashman said.

“And he’s played all the other teams in their stadiums and knows all the people around the game,” Cashman said. “So I’m sure he’ll get a lot of feedback.

“That’s a decision for another day.”

Perhaps only a motivated Mets owner Steve Cohen might be able to capture potential Soto last-dollar sweepstakes, but Soto says he personally avoids worrying about his 2025 address in 2024 and leaves that to that of Boras Corp.

“Even in my house, we never talk about it (next contract),” Soto said. “We're keeping it simple, just come here, enjoy the moment, enjoy where we are and we'll see what happens.”

Soto finished the regular season with a .988 OPS, a career-high 41 home runs and 109 RBI, while gaining a legion of fans in the Yankees universe who have turned right field into a kind of Sotoville.

“When you put on that jersey and those pinstripes, it just feels different,” Soto said. “There's so much history and everything, so many fans around the world that we have… it feels really nice to play for us.” Team that has had so many great moments in history.

“It feels good because everywhere you go, the fans are waiting for you, cheering for you, wishing you the best, and you can feel it. You can feel that in every respect.”

At Kauffman Stadium, a sea of ​​royal blue, Soto's fifth-inning sac fly gave the Yanks a 2-0 lead in Game 3 on Wednesday night, and he added two walks with a run scored.

“At the end of the day, I just try to focus on the game,” Soto said. “I love this game and I have been playing it since I was a child.”

“I'm more about the game here, I'm trying to win, I'm trying to find a way to win and I'm trying to help the team,” Soto said. “All the free agent talking and everything, I'll just leave that to my agent.” Let him handle it.

“It makes it really easy for me to just play baseball.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: After the postseason is free agent season for the Yankees' Juan Soto