While there are a lot of intriguing MLB free agents available, none are better than four-time All-Star Juan Soto. With world-class patience at the plate, plus an immense amount of power that’s averaged 38 home runs across the past two seasons, Soto’s expected to sign a contract worth over $500 million this offseason.
Naturally, this means the teams in the biggest markets are the top favorites to sign Soto. This still included the New York Yankees re-signing their top free agent, but others, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets are expected to be finalists too. Of course, with a transcending talent like Soto, even smaller market clubs, like the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays have already gotten involved too.
But now the Mets have had their meeting with MLB’s top free agent, and it reportedly went very well.
New York Mets make strong impression on Juan Soto
While the New York Yankees are likely still the favorites to re-sign Juan Soto, other teams are trying to get in the picture too. We know the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays have already met with Soto, but now, the New York Mets have finally gotten their chance too.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Soto met with Mets owner Steve Cohen, plus several other “high-ranking club officials” on Saturday in Orange County, California. The Post reports the “big production” meeting went “extremely well” and was “very detailed.”
“The high-powered gatherings are being held at an undisclosed location somewhere near Newport Beach, Calif., in a very clandestine manner, so only bits and pieces are getting out. But one person suggested the Mets are “hopeful” — and maybe even optimistic — about their chances to win easily the biggest prize of this free-agent class. Sources say Mets baseball president David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza joined Cohen for the California confab, and are also said to have made a positive impression.”
Jon Heyman on New York Mets’ Juan Soto meeting
It’s not known whether the Mets or any other teams made any official contract offers to Soto during their meetings. While the Mets, Blue Jays, and Red Sox have gotten an early jump in their free agency pursuit of the top hitter on the market, the Yankees are set to meet with Soto on Monday.
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