Juan Soto Projected to Leave Yankees for $600 Million Deal With Rival Mets
Free agent outfielder Juan Soto has been entertaining pitches from interested teams and is expected to receive formal contract offers this week. The two frontrunners for his signature are the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
After spending a year in the Bronx and helping the Yankees reach the World Series, would Soto really switch sides to join their National League rivals? It’s uncertain, but a report by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale suggests it’s a real possibility.
Nightengale noted that MLB executives view the Mets as the “clear-cut favorite” to sign the 26-year-old slugger, primarily for one reason.
“They believe no one can outbid Mets owner Steve Cohen, while the Yankees are sticking to a price limit they won’t exceed,” he explained.
Will financial considerations alone decide where Soto commits the next decade or more of his career? Money is certainly crucial, but the five-time Silver Slugger also has other priorities as he considers his next destination.
The Mets, however, meet many of Soto’s criteria. They play in a major media market, have deep financial resources, and boast an owner invested in building strong ties with star players. Furthermore, the Mets came within two wins of the 2024 World Series, highlighting their competitiveness.
Josh Goldberg of The Score believes the Mets could lure Soto away from the Yankees with a 13-year, $600 million offer.
“While the Yankees could outbid anyone if Hal Steinbrenner is willing, the current owner doesn’t match his father George’s aggressive spending mentality,” Goldberg noted. “Meanwhile, Mets owner Steve Cohen shows no hesitation in surpassing the luxury tax. Signing Soto would be a statement move, weakening their rivals while securing a generational offensive talent.”