NEW YORK — Juan Soto is still a few weeks away from free agency, but he’s already received a significant offer from someone with the Yankees’ best interests in mind.

Jon Mudry, a Yankees fan from Connecticut, made waves in the Bronx on Monday when he brought a large check to Game 1 of the ALCS. The check, written by Mudry’s wife, Ashley, was made out to Soto for $600 million. It included the memo “Yankee4life.”

With seats behind Yankee Stadium’s yellow W.B. Mason sign in right field, Mudry held the check up when Soto first took his position, a sight that TV cameras picked up on. Mudry, who received a bunch of texts after having his face plastered on TBS and social media, did the same when Soto smashed a solo homer in the third inning of the Yankees’ 5-2 win over the Guardians.

The dinger was Soto’s first postseason homer with the Bombers.

Before Soto left the yard, the 31-year-old Mudry told the New York Daily News that he brought the same check to Game 1 of the ALDS. While TV cameras didn’t notice Mudry that night, Soto did. The superstar even threw a ball his way.

“I should have added a couple mill,” Mudry joked.

When asked why he created the check in the first place, Mudry said, “We need a lefty bat. We need someone that’s done it. He’s a young player. So I mean, we gotta win. We gotta win the World Series.”

To be clear, Mudry is not ponying up his own money. He doesn’t have $600 million, so his wife signed the check “New York Yankees” in cursive letters.

That might be a steep initial offer for the club, but it wouldn’t shock if Soto ends up with such a lucrative deal this winter. He’s about to turn 26, is on a Hall of Fame track, has already won a championship, and is coming off one of his best regular seasons.

“I don’t know,” Mudry said when asked if $600 million will be enough to re-sign Soto. “I think so. I think he’s gonna want to stay in New York. He might get offered more like [Aaron] Judge … but I think he loves New York. He loves the atmosphere. He shows it when he sees the fans cheer for him.”

Of course, the Yankees will have competition for Soto this offseason, and they’re not the only team capable of offering him a long-term home in The Empire State.

The Mets, playing in the NLCS, have also been linked to the slugger.

“Dude, that would break my heart,” Mudry said. “Outdo ‘em.”

For what it’s worth, Soto recently said that wearing pinstripes “just feels different.” He’s also seemed to genuinely enjoy his interactions with Yankees fans and has endeared himself to the team’s clubhouse. Hitting in front of Judge has certainly given him a boost, too.

Another potentially encouraging sign: The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty recently reported that Soto met with Hal Steinbrenner in July. Soto spoke highly of the owner afterward, noting that The Boss’ son cares about players.

However, the four-time All-Star is still expected to test the open market with Scott Boras representing him.

“I always keep that to my agent,” Soto said when asked about free agency during the ALDS. “Even in my house and everything, we never even talk about that. We keep it simple: just come here, enjoy the moment, enjoy where we’re at, and we’ll see what happens.”

Meanwhile, general manager Brian Cashman said that the Yankees “will put our best foot forward” when it comes to Soto’s sweepstakes.

“I know we’re gonna participate and try,” Cashman added. “If you want to put your best foot forward in terms of creating an atmosphere and culture of experience that’s positive, I think we’ve done that. I think we’ve got a lot of things that a player would want, but ultimately, it’s what Juan’s gonna want. So we’ve put ourselves in a nice light, and that’s important. Past that, though, it’s about the competition in free agency. Who knows where that goes?”

Mudry agreed that the Yankees have created a positive environment for Soto, and he thinks members of the Bronx faithful have played a part after sitting in right field a few times this season.

He’s hoping that Soto’s bond with fans factors into his impending decision, even if it’s just a small consideration.

“You can tell the passion’s real,” Mudry said. “You can tell he’s really feeling the fans. It’s just a love connection.”

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