It appears Major League Baseball’s offseason hinges on where outfielder Juan Soto will commit for the next decade or more. The New York Mets and New York Yankees are viewed as the top contenders for his services. After spending 2024 with the Yankees, Soto demonstrated that the pressures of playing in a major media market were no problem for him. He excelled as an All-Star Game starter and secured his fifth Silver Slugger Award, becoming one of the three finalists for the American League MVP. Soto’s contract year couldn’t have gone better, boosting his market value significantly. Over 157 games, he posted a .989 OPS, hit 41 home runs, recorded 109 RBI, and scored 128 runs. His performance was valued at a career-high 7.9 WAR by Baseball Reference.
Juan Soto
The big question is whether the Yankees can retain the star slugger with a lucrative long-term offer. According to Deadspin’s David Brown, the answer might be no. Brown predicts that Soto will remain in New York but switch to the Mets, signing a record-breaking 13-year, $702 million deal. This contract would surpass Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter, which had $680 million in deferred payments, reducing its present-day value to approximately $460 million. Soto has long been projected to sign a deal exceeding $500 million, with recent estimates going beyond $600 million. The decisive factor will be how determined teams are to secure his signature. With Mets owner Steve Cohen being the wealthiest in baseball, offering the highest contract is unlikely to be an obstacle if Soto is open to moving to Queens.
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