Yankees' Juan Soto dances around free agency questions during introductory news conference

The question that came with the Yankees’ acquisition of Juan Soto last week looks like it’ll follow them all season, too.

Will he stay beyond 2024?

Asked several times during an introductory video news conference Tuesday about his free agency following next season and a possible contract extension with his new team, Soto mostly talked around the subject, deferred to agent Scott Boras and emphasized that he was focused on acclimating and playing, not negotiating.

That did nothing to diminish the widespread belief that Soto, 25 years old and one of the best hitters in baseball, fully intends to test the open market next offseason.

“My priority right now is to get to know the team, get to know the guys,” Soto said to begin his response to a question about whether he is open to contract talks. “Really. I’m going to the team, to New York, to Tampa [for spring training], whenever I’m going to meet those guys and try to get a good relationship and try to really stick together, get to know those guys and try to get the same goal as they want. That’s what my main thing is right now.

“About any contract stuff, they know where to call and who to talk to. I’m here just to play baseball and try to concentrate on playing baseball.”

Who to talk to is Boras, who represents the top pending free agent on each New York team: Soto for the Yankees, Pete Alonso for the Mets. Boras long has advised his clients to pass on extension opportunities in favor of free agency. Most of his clients follow that advice.

In July 2022, the Nationals — Soto’s original club — offered him a 15-year, $440 million deal when he was still more than two seasons away from becoming a free agent. That would have been the largest guaranteed sum in baseball history at that point. When Soto said no thank you, Washington sent him to San Diego for a package of even younger players.

After the Padres fell short of the playoffs in 2023, facing apparent financial issues and figuring they’d have no chance to re-sign Soto when they would need to, they traded him (along with centerfielder Trent Grisham) to the Yankees for five players last week during the winter meetings.

Now it’s a Yankees topic — and maybe a Yankees problem.

“We understand that it’s a possible short-term situation,” general manager Brian Cashman said last week, noting that there had not been any contract talks. “I know he’s going to make our team significantly better.”

Soto said he is able to block out the potential distraction of contract stuff because of Boras. Boras did not respond to a request for comment.

“It’s not going to be that hard because I have one of the best agents in the league, so I put everything on him and let him do his magic,” Soto said. “My mindset is just going here to play baseball and try to win a championship.”

There were hints, though, that this trade was meaningful to Soto.

Asked what it was like to put on the Yankees hat that he wore on camera, he smiled and called it “un sentimiento diferente” — a different feeling. He referenced the paternal and maternal relatives and “a lot of friends” from the Dominican Republic who live in New York, people he’ll get to spend more time with. He fondly recalled hitting two home runs in his Yankee Stadium debut on June 13, 2018.

“This is a great ballpark, it’s a great batter’s box, the whole vibe feels great to stand up there,” he said. “What I remember of that day is, it was incredible. It was a great feeling, 19 years old, coming into Yankee Stadium, one of the biggest stages in the league. Just thinking I have family and friends in the stands — it was a pretty cool moment.”

Already, Soto has heard from a group of new teammates that he said includes Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo. He joins Judge to form an offensive duo about as strong as any in the majors.

“I’m going to be more than excited to share the field with him. He seems like a great guy,” Soto said. “It’s going to be really fun to see him hitting and playing outfield, try to pick his mind when I’m there and try to enjoy the moment while I’m there.”

By Tim Healey

timothy.healey@newsday.com@timbhealey

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.