A wild new report claims it would be a surprise if Juan Soto doesn’t sign with the New York Mets due to an expectation he will get a deal larger than Shohei Ohtani.
This will be a big next few weeks for the Mets. After entering the 2024 season with diminished expectations, the team surprised their fan base with a magical run to the National League Championship Series. What makes it all the more promising is their success came in a year when the organization chose to financially punt until 2025.
Now they enter the offseason with a team with playoff potential. And a billionaire owner willing to spend big to get the franchise its first championship since 1986. For months, the Mets have been linked to a potential pursuit of superstar outfielder Juan Soto.
However, while the team is viewed as a serious contender for the All-Star, his current team — the New York Yankees — are heavy favorites to retain his services. They have just as good, if not better team. The Yankee brand has a prestige that is second to none. And they have some deep pockets as well.
But, one New York MLB insider claimed on Wednesday that people close to Soto “would be surprised” if he doesn’t take his talents from the Bronx to Queens this offseason.
- Juan Soto stats (2024 regular season): 288 AVG, .419 OBP, .569 SLG, 41 HR, 109 RBI, 128 R
New York Mets to give Juan Soto a contract bigger than Shohei Ohtani’s?
“A person very close to Juan Soto [said] ‘I would be very surprised if the Mets don’t sign him in the free agency,'” Spanish-language MLB insider Hector Gomez surprisingly claimed on Wednesday. “The talks are based around the fact that he could become the highest-paid player of all time.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers gave soon-to-be three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani a record-breaking $700 million deal last year. The contract was filled with deferrals that will pay out a large chunk in a decade. Plus, the Japanese superstar was able to get such a deal because he is the rare athlete who can hit and pitch at an All-Star level when healthy.
- Juan Soto contract (Projection): 12 years, $710 million
For as good as Juan Soto is, he is a great hitter and just a solid outfielder. But his performance during the 2024 playoffs and a resume that includes a championship with the Washington Nationals gives him special value for the New York Mets.
The team could also go the deferral route and give him a deal that is just slightly more than Ohtani. Mets owner Steve Cohen is the richest in baseball and worth $21.3 billion.