The Juan Soto sweepstakes is dominating the baseball world, and it’s no surprise. Many expect Soto to sign a massive contract during the winter meetings in December, with speculated contract values ranging between $600 million and $700 million.
The final contenders for Soto’s services appear to be the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and, predictably, the Los Angeles Dodgers. ESPN’s David Schoenfield has predicted that Soto will sign a 13-year, $611 million deal with the Mets, choosing to leave the Yankees after just one season in New York.
Schoenfield pointed out that the Mets have a number of roster gaps to address, including potential free-agent departures such as Pete Alonso and several starting pitchers like Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, and Luis Severino.
However, the Mets are well-positioned to reload, with a payroll of about $160 million, far less than their 2024 total of $336 million. With owner Steve Cohen’s vast financial resources, money is not an issue for the Mets. If they decide to pursue Soto aggressively, it’s hard to envision any team, including the Yankees, outbidding Cohen.
If Cohen is determined to secure Soto, he could easily offer a record-breaking deal, possibly as high as $700 million, leaving other teams in the dust. This would be exactly the kind of move the Mets need, especially after their loss to the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
With the Dodgers already strengthening their roster by adding Blake Snell to their rotation, signing Soto would be a strong counter move for the Mets to keep pace.
