Juan Soto's free agency is nearing his playoff debut with the Yankees

Juan Soto's first – and perhaps only – season in pinstripes was everything the Yankees could have wanted… until now.

He had his best entire year on the field and his presence in the lineup helped turn around a Yankees offense and provided a threat in front of Aaron Judge during Judge's historic season.

All of that will be remembered, but Soto's legacy as a Yankee will be largely shaped by what happens in October — and there's no guarantee Soto will see another legacy in the Bronx when he first hits free agency .

Soto said Friday at Yankee Stadium that he has been dealing with free agency issues for four years while he was in Washington.

“It’s always a part of it,” Soto said. “It’s always great to be on a winning team.”

Soto said it hasn't been hard to put aside the idea of ​​entering the free market, even as it gets closer.

“It’s over for me,” Soto said. “All that talk is over and now it’s all about the playoffs and trying to get another championship.”

Here's how the rest of the Yankees handle the situation.

“I'm not thinking about the free agency part of it,” Aaron Boone said before the Yankees' practice at the stadium Friday in preparation for Saturday's first game of the ALDS against the Royals. “I don't think it's him. I think he enjoys being here and being part of this team and knowing what's at stake and what his options are. He's been to playoff baseball before and won a championship, so he obviously knows what it takes. I think that’s where his mind is.”

That title came with the Nationals in 2019, when Soto had a .927 OPS in 17 postseason games.

He wasn't as successful as a Padre in 2022, with a .727 OPS in 12 games before San Diego lost in the NLCS.

Soto is in the spotlight again this month.

He turns 26 in three weeks, already has quite the resume and talked Friday about becoming a part of Yankees all-time history.

“I have to make sure we win,” Soto said.

So far, Soto has accomplished what the Yankees hoped for when he arrived in a trade from San Diego in December.

“I’m enjoying my time here,” Soto said.

“He came as advertised,” general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday. “He was brought in to improve our chances and he has without a doubt improved our chances.”

Gerrit Cole was asked if he was only guaranteed one October with Soto and he said: “I haven't really thought about it. I just enjoyed it – especially while we had him. And he can't go anywhere right now. In that sense, I’m just living in the moment.”

Longtime hitting coach Pat Roessler, now an assistant hitting coach with the Yankees, worked with Soto in Washington and again expected great things from his student in the Bronx.

“I had no doubt,” Rössler said recently. “He loves to play when the game is hot. He likes to be the guy who has a chance to win.”

And after a season in which Soto hit a career-high 41 homers and posted his highest OPS of any season (178) outside of COVID-shortened 2020, Roessler said he doesn't think much will change for Soto heading into the season will playoffs.

“We talked about it,” Roessler said of his postseason performance. “He’s able to maintain his composure and routine and swing at the pitches he wants to swing at.”

If there's any cause for concern, it's Soto's left knee, which he injured when he slid into and clung to a wall in Seattle on Sept. 19.

He said it was still tender but didn't think it would affect him on the field, except perhaps for sliding.

In eight games after the injury, Soto only had two extra-base hits.

Although Soto was consistent throughout the year, he cooled off in the final month of the season.

In 30 games since August 26, Soto had an OPS of .788, with just four home runs in that stretch.

That gaffe could be forgotten with one swing of the bat on Saturday.

And whenever this postseason ends, be it next week in the ALDS or in November after an appearance in the World Series, Soto will be the center of the baseball world again as he and agent Scott Boras begin his free agency period next month .

According to Boone, this will no longer be a distraction.

“I don’t think he’ll ever get over himself like that,” the manager said. “That will be the case when the time comes. You will deal with it. But right now I think he’s focused on going out there and performing on the big stage in the playoffs.”