NEW YORK - It's all about Juan Soto, and Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner hears the plea.
"Our fans really enjoyed having him in New York,'' Steinbrenner said of the impact free agent, whose dynamic offense contribute to the club's first pennant since 2009.
Signing the 26-year-old Soto is "a priority. Wouldn't have gone out to the West Coast if it wasn't,'' Steinbrenner said of the organization's Monday meeting in Southern California.
But there were other items discussed by Steinbrenner at Wednesday's MLB owners' meetings in Midtown.
Boone will enter his eighth season as Yankees manager, with his option for 2025 recently exercised by the club.
That was step one, according to Steinbrenner.
"In the very near future,'' Steinbrenner plans to engage GM Brian Cashman about whether to extend Boone beyond the 2025 season.
"There's no huge rush to it,'' with Soto's situation and other roster-building matters at hand. "But I will have those discussions of what we should do next, if anything'' regarding Boone's contract.
"It stung. It still stings,'' said Steinbrenner. "When you're that close and you don't get there, it stays with you for a while. All of us feel the same way.
"We're just going to have to get right back at it...and get there again and get the job done next year. That is our ultimate goal every season, it's to win a championship.
"In that particular goal we failed this year. Not fun.''
Steinbrenner said he did "not agree'' with criticism of his club's fundamental baseball shortcomings in 2024.
"Now, listen, we did not play a clean World Series, I think we all know that,'' said Steinbrenner, culminating in a forgettable fifth inning in the Dodgers' Game 5 clincher.
"Our play for the most part was solid during the course of the year, that's why we won a pennant for the first time in 15 years.''
Steinbrenner and the Yankees have already won a round with agent Scott Boras, after Gerrit Cole opted out of the final four years and $144 million of his contract.
Instead of triggering an additional year at $36 million that would have negated Cole's opt out, Steinbrenner held firm.
Cole ultimately decided not to exercise his right to become a free agent.
"When the deadline came, I just wasn't in a position where I was comfortable going to a fifth year,'' said Steinbrenner, adding that "we want Gerrit to be a Yankee for life.
"I believe he wants to be a Yankee for life. Adding one more year or not...should have no meaning when it comes to that.''
Steinbrenner added that "any discussions they want to have, we'll have'' regarding another guaranteed season. But the substance of that remains to be seen.
"Speaking hypothetically, I don't think you can ever have enough pitching, right? So, we're going to take a deep dive into the starting rotation, into the bullpen,'' said Steinbrenner.
The Yankees have a surplus of starters, and they could move Marcus Stroman or Nestor Cortes in a trade as they seek upgrades to their pitching staff and the infield.
"We do have other things to add, whether that's via free agent, whether that's via trade,'' said Steinbrenner. "We've got some things we need to improve upon. Every club does.''
The organization is currently "right in the middle of our free agent meetings, going through every single player that's out there'' said Steinbrenner, and "anything that comes across my desk, I'm going to consider.''
Due to the extensive damage to Tropicana Field caused by Hurricane Milton, the Tampa Bay Rays will play their 2025 home schedule at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.
"It's the right thing to do for their fan base, many of whom are my neighbors and friends,'' said Steinbrenner. "If it wasn't for Tampa, they'd be moving out (of the area) because there's no other site.''
According to Steinbrenner, the Rays will be responsible for added costs, including lighting upgrades for the Yankees' Class A affiliate to play at an adjacent field and other modifications.