Hopefully, New York Yankees brass weren’t celebrating too much on Sunday to miss the message Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was sending to the New York Giants: “Better to pay now, than to pay later.”

Yes, it’s two different sports, one football and one baseball. But Mr. Barkley’s performance against the Giants upon his return to MetLife Stadium is something for the Yankees to consider. The Eagles signed Mr. Barkley during the offseason after the Giants decided the running back’s financial demands were too expensive to re-sign the free agent after six seasons playing for Big Blue.

The NFC East-rival Eagles quickly scooped him up and Mr. Barkley made his old team pay by rushing for 176 yards and one touchdown in Philadelphia’s 28-3 beat down of his former employer. Meanwhile, the money that could have gone to Mr. Barkley went to “upgrading” an offensive line that allowed eight sacks.

The Eagles improved to 4-2, while the Giants fell to 2-5 as Mr. Barkley got a measure of revenge. “It’s business,” Mr. Barkley told reporters after the game. “They told me to go somewhere else to find a home, so I found a home.”

The American League Champion Yankees can’t let this happen to them. They can’t let outfielder Juan Soto sign with another team during the off-season and return sometime next year to terrorize his former team. Not after what he did to get them to their first World Series in 15 years.

The Yankees face the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won the National League pennant with a 10-5 win Sunday night over the New York Mets. Game 1 of the World Series is Friday night.

Mr. Soto’s already legendary three-run home run in the 10th inning Saturday night in Cleveland secured the Yankees 5-2 victory and first trip to the World Series since they last won it in 2009. 

A terror at the plate all season, Mr. Soto smashed three home runs in a series where the Bronx Bombers crushed 10. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton launched four homers and earned the Most Valuable Player Award, while Aaron Judge left the park twice. Mr. Soto’s game-winner in Game 5 was perhaps the most dramatic.

A champagne-soaked Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Mr. Soto “has such an ability to seize the moment. Every big moment that he finds himself in the middle of, he’s delivered over and over and over again for us.”

There have been many key contributors to the Yankees’ success. But they wouldn’t be in the Fall Classic without Mr. Soto, who is playing on a one-year $31 million contract. Yes, he’ll cost a fortune to re-sign, but he’s proven that he’s worth every penny.

In an epic seven-pitch at-bat Saturday night with two on and two out in the top of the 10th inning, Mr. Soto fouled away three two-strike pitches. After throwing only change-ups and sliders, Guardians right-hander Hunt Gaddis tried to sneak a fastball past the left-handed hitter. It landed in the center field seats.

Mr. Soto told the YES Network that “he was just ready” and that he faced Mr. Gaddis “a couple of times this series. I know everything he has. I just waited for him to make a mistake and do damage.”

Signing Mr. Soto to a multi-year deal will be the top priority during the offseason. For now, the Yankees are trying to add to their rich legacy.

The weight of history—27 world championships, legendary players, and the constant demand for dominance—can be overwhelming. The pressure of playing in New York and the inevitable comparison to past greatness isn’t for everyone.

Yet, the 2024 Yankees are different. After a 15-year absence, these Pinstripers have slugged their way to the World Series. The long shadows of the Core Four and their dynasty of the late ‘90s are distant echoes. This new generation of Yankees is gladly forging their path.

Mr. Boone said that “We’ve had some great groups, some great comraderies, and some great clubhouses. But this group is as close as I’ve ever seen. They trust each other. They lean on each other. They love each other and play for each other. Those are special things to have in team sports.”

The Yankees need to remember that when they sit down with Mr. Soto during the offseason after the World Series is over, the hoopla starts to die down and bean counters start putting payroll ahead of playoffs. That’s when they’ll decide whether they can afford more of Mr. Soto’s heroics.

The Bronx Bombers could learned something if they watched the Giants get gashed by Mr. Barkley and the Eagles yesterday. Sometimes it’s better to pay now than suffer a brutal payback later.