The New York Mets reportedly have approved Juan Soto's request to play 10 games of winter ball with the Tigres del Licey starting next winter, according to Hector Gomez.

Soto will not play for the Tigres del Licey this offseason, but the Mets have approved for him to do so next offseason, which should bring some exciting scenes. Earlier this offseason, Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, as Steve Cohen landed the crown jewel free agent of this offseason, stealing him from the crosstown New York Yankees.

“I asked the Mets to give me permission to play 10 games with Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter League. I don't know the date yet when I will do, but I hope it will be soon,” Soto said, via Gomez.

Soto said that before Gomez confirmed that the Mets approved his request. Now, fans in the Dominican Republic can look forward to seeing the superstar making appearances in the Winter League in the future. It will be interesting to see when exactly Soto will play, and the type of reception he will get from the fans when he does so.

Mets look to become consistent contender with Juan Soto in the fold

The Mets' signing of Soto was a historic moment for the franchise, as it is a representation of the vision that Cohen had when he purchased the team a few years ago. New York made a run to the NLCS last season before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games, and the addition of Soto should help the team remain among the top contenders in MLB.

The signing of Soto might make some believe that Cohen's Mets would spend on every top option, but that is not the case. David Stearns has been making acquisitions with the vision of making the Mets a consistent and sustainable winner each year. Stearns signed pitchers like Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes to join the rotation while also bringing back Sean Manaea for 2025, staying away from long-term deals for top-of-the-market starters. The hope is to develop starters internally, building around the mega contract that Soto has.