Subscribe
Follow Us
The top free-agent story of the Major League Baseball offseason involves Juan Soto. After a brilliant year with the New York Yankees, Soto appears to be baseball's next mega-millionaire as he has a chance to sign a contract in the $700 million range.
The Yankees have been the favorites to get Soto's signature on his next contract, but the Bronx Bombers may not have the inside track. The New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays are also in the running, and the Mets may have a better chance to secure Soto's services, according to a report from MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal.
Rosenthal indicated that once all the proposals are on the table, agent Scott Boras is more likely to converse with Mets owner Steve Cohen and discuss the situation instead of talking with the Yankees.
“I don’t know if the Yankees will have the final say,” Rosenthal said. “I almost think the Mets will have the final say because after Scott Boras and Soto collect all the offers, what they should do, or what they likely will do in my opinion is go to Steve Cohen.”
Then Boras would have the option of talking to the other clubs involved — including the Yankees — but it seems that Cohen and the Mets would have the inside track.
Soto had sharp 2024 season with the Yankees
The Yankees acquired Soto in a trade prior to the start of the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres. He appeared to be an ideal complementary player for superstar Aaron Judge.
Soto slashed .288/.419/.569 while blasting a career-best 41 home runs and driving in 109 runs. Soto led the major leagues with 128 runs scored, and he is known for having an outstanding eye at the plate. He collected 129 bases on balls while striking out 119 times.
Having Soto in the lineup provided a boost to slugger Aaron Judge because opposing pitchers were unlikely to pitch around him because Soto was on base so often ahead of him. Judge won the American League Most Valuable Player Award for the second time in his career.
Judge is coming off one of his greatest seasons as he slashed .322/.458/.701 after he battered 58 home runs and 144 RBIs. The Yankees would clearly love to keep Soto in the fold and retain their game-changing 1-2 punch.
The Red Sox are reportedly interested in making major upgrades to their roster after several years of avoiding the highest-paid players other than third baseman Rafael Devers. The Blue Jays were one of the major players in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes last year before the brilliant two-way player signed with the Dodgers.
