This concludes the Juan Soto sweepstakes. After signing a 15-year contract with the New York Mets on Sunday night, Soto is moving from the Bronx to Queens while remaining in New York.
With no deferred payments, Soto’s new contract is reportedly worth $765 million; but, future contract escalators might raise the amount to over $800 million.
The biggest deal in the history of professional sports is this one. Due in large part to Mets owner Steve Cohen’s readiness to pay more than anyone for a player he desires, the Mets were viewed as the Yankees’ main opponents for Soto’s free agency. Cohen was going to do whatever it took to get Soto.
In addition to being one of baseball’s top hitters, Soto’s attraction as a player comes from the fact that he is only 26 years old and will probably continue to play at his best for many years to come. In every MLB team he has played for, he has had a big influence.
In addition to leading the San Diego Padres to the NLCS in 2022 and helping the Washington Nationals win the 2019 World Series, he was the key component that allowed the Yankees to make a comeback to the World Series in 2024.
In the 2024 regular season, Soto recorded a.419 on-base percentage, hit.288 with a.989 OPS, and blasted 41 home missiles and drove in 109 RBIs. In terms of home runs, on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS, he was in the top four in MLB. For the Mets, who were already in the NLCS in 2024, this is a game-changing decision. Now that Soto and Francisco Lindor are in the same lineup, a 2025 World Series trip is conceivable.
The Yankees’ current challenge is to make a significant offseason acquisition in order to show their supporters that they are still committed to winning, in addition to filling the significant void in their lineup.
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