Three of the New York Yankees’ biggest rivals are considered finalists in the ongoing sweepstakes to sign slugger Juan Soto.

These three teams are the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. Of course, the Mets are the Yankees’ cross-city rival, while the other two teams both play in the AL East.

Although the baseball world knows that no rivalry compares to that of the Yankees and Red Sox. And that’s why Yankees fans won’t like hearing what NJ.com’s Randy Miller had to say in a December 2 article.

“The Red Sox have emerged as the favorite — perhaps THE favorite — to sign Yankees free agent Juan Soto, two people with knowledge of the contract negotiations told NJ Advance Media,” Miller wrote.

“The Yankees are still hoping to re-sign Soto, but they are now more worried about their AL East rival Red Sox than the crosstown rival Mets, who have the richest owner in Steve Cohen.”

While it’s discouraging enough to hear that the Red Sox are the favorites to sign Soto, Miller’s bleak view of the Yankees’ chances of signing him gets even worse as the article continues.

“A person with knowledge of the discussions believes the Red Sox, Mets and Blue Jays have all made offers above $600 million, while the Yankees are in the $550 million range,” he wrote.

“Soto’s initial offer from the Mets was for $660 million, according to Carlos Baerga, the retired All-Star second baseman. If that’s true, the Yankees probably don’t have a chance at Soto, because one of the people told NJ Advance Media that the Yankees are expecting the Finals.” The offer is said to be under $600 million, and the Yankees are willing to move on if the price rises above $600 million.

If this report is true, the Yankees’ chances of re-signing Soto already appear to be close to zero.