Subscribe
Follow Us
After weeks and weeks of speculation, the biggest free agency saga in MLB history is finally over. Superstar outfielder Juan Soto signed a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets, according to multiple reports on X, formerly Twitter. At 26 years old, Soto has still not hit his theoretical prime, and positioned to have a long, Hall of Fame worthy career.
“Breaking: Juan Soto to the Mets,” posted the New York Post's Jon Heyman on the social media platform. “$765M. 15 years.”
His performance under the October lights over the years, particularly in 2019 when he won the World Series with the Washington Nationals, as well as last season with the New York Yankees, has shown that Soto has been long ready to lead his own team. His focus now is to win not one, but likely multiple World Series titles with the Mets. This organization has been searching for the third championship since the 1980s, and the fanbase has suffered for a long time. Mets owner Steve Cohen is the sport's richest owner, and a long-suffering Mets fan as well. Can his franchise's deal with Soto bring forward a new golden era of Mets baseball? There's only one way to find out.
Can Juan Soto help lead Mets to multiple World Series titles?
The long-term grade for this contract will ultimately hinge on how the above question is answered. If Soto and the Mets don't win a title, the deal will be a failure. No matter how much success they have together, the number of titles is all that matters to all the parties involved. If the Mets win just one title, but are contenders the majority of the time, then this will be a C. If they win one or two, and are consistent contenders, then it's a B. If they win two or more, plus multiple NL pennants and division titles, then it will be an A.
As of right now, it's still too soon to tell if any of those grades will happen. Everyone (well, except the Mets' rivals and their rival fans) wants this relationship to work. When baseball's stars shine on the brightest stages the game has to offer, then the sport feels like America's Pastime once again. If Soto can do that while he calls Queens home, then the sport as a whole will be better for it.
If the sport continues to grow and succeed due to the efforts of Soto, as well as other superstars like his former teammate, Yankees captain Aaron Judge, and the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, then the success of this contract will be so much more widespread. More kids will want to play. More people will tune in. More money will flow into the game. In time, baseball as a whole will be more exciting. More must see. More relevant. Because of all of these factors, this historic megadeal that Soto and the Mets have forged together will be graded on two scales: relevance to what it means for the Mets and Soto now, and in the future. Let's take a peek.
CURRENT GRADE FOR METS/SOTO PACT: 8.8/10
POTENTIAL LONGTERM GRADE FOR METS/SOTO PACT: 9.5 to 10/10
