New York Mets owner Steve Cohen got the superstar he was coveting as Juan Soto is officially coming to Queens. Soto and the Mets have agreed to a historic deal reportedly for 15 years and $765 million.
It’s the largest deal in professional sports history, beating out Shohei Ohtani’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers by $65 million.
Soto’s contract reportedly includes an opt-out after the fifth year and no money is deferred.
Soto’s signing immediately establishes the Mets as World Series contenders, as he instantly upgrades a lineup featuring National League MVP finalists Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Brandon Nimmo, and Francisco Alvarez. Even with Soto’s deal, Cohen may not be done spending in free agency, as the team has other holes to fill in the lineup and rotation.
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The addition of Soto bolsters a Mets team that finished two wins shy of the World Series, falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Soto and Lindor will be the new dynamic duo to watch in 2025. In his only season with the New York Yankees, Soto finished third in American League MVP voting. He hit 41 home runs, led the AL with 128 runs scored, drove in 109 RBI, posted a .989 OPS, and recorded a 7.9 WAR. Meanwhile, Lindor smacked 33 home runs, scored 109 runs, maintained a .844 OPS, and produced a 6.9 WAR in 2024.
The addition of the four-time All-Star Soto will significantly impact the NL East rivalry, as the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves will now face him 13 times each season.
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With Soto joining the team, it appears to mark the end of Pete Alonso’s tenure with the Mets. During his six seasons, Alonso was a four-time All-Star and captured the National League Rookie of the Year award.
The Yankees, who had made a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres to acquire Soto, now see him depart for Queens after just one season.
Where do the New York Yankees go from here after losing out on Juan Soto?
Soto choosing the Mets is a monumental blow for the Yankees and owner Hal Steinbrenner. Instead of playing in pinstripes alongside Aaron Judge, Soto will wear blue and orange as Lindor’s teammate. According to New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees offered Soto 16 years for $760 million but were turned down.
Yankees bid $760M for 16 years. Soto is a Met.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 9, 2024
The Yankees must now return to square one to replace Soto’s production in the lineup. They could pursue a trade for Cody Bellinger or make offers to Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernandez, but none of these players brings the offensive prowess that Soto does.
Steinbrenner will likely face intense criticism from Yankees fans for letting Soto getaway. He has consistently faced disapproval for not spending money to improve the Yankees’ roster, and those judgments will only intensify after allowing a generational superstar to walk.
Questions will linger for years in the Bronx about why Soto won’t retire as a Yankee. For now, the balance of power in New York baseball has shifted toward Queens.