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It became clear almost immediately after news broke that the New York Mets had signed Juan Soto that Steve Cohen's franchise offered Soto more money than anyone else. Now, we're starting to learn what else he offered the outfield superstar.
One of those extras is a suite at Mets home games. The New York Yankees refused to guarantee Soto the same in order to keep him in the Bronx, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
“The Yankees felt they couldn’t give a suite to Soto when [Aaron] Judge pays for his suite, and even Derek Jeter paid,” Heyman wrote. “They were willing to discount a suite but not alter their precedent.”
That wasn't a problem for the Mets.
“Cohen didn’t give the suite much of a thought,” Heyman added. “When he has his eyes on a prize, he is singularly focused.”
That's not the only extra that Heyman reported the Mets were willing to give Soto. He also said that the one-year Yankee became upset with team security during the season when it prevented a family member and his chef/driver from accessing certain areas of the clubhouse. In response, Cohen brought out his own family and the team's traveling secretary to explain all the Mets' policies and perks.
Of course the money was also a major factor. The Mets will pay Soto $765 million over 15 years, plus a $75 million signing bonus. Escalators in his contract could bring its overall value to as high as $805 million. The Yankees offered Soto $760 million over 16 years, but with a lower average value, lower signing bonus and clearly fewer perks, Soto opted to work across town.
“The Yankees are the Yankees. I respect that,” Cohen told Heyman. “This is not about the Yankees versus the Mets. It’s about competing for a player.”
Soto will have the option to opt out of his contract with the Mets after five years.
