The Juan Soto sweepstakes is over. Although he’s staying in New York, he’s transferring from the Bronx to Queens after signing a 15-year contract with the New York Mets on Sunday evening.
Soto’s new deal is reportedly value $765 million, accommodates no deferred cash and has escalators within the deal that might take it above $800 million.
It’s the largest contract ever signed in skilled sports activities historical past.
The Mets have been lengthy regarded as the Yankees’ greatest competitor for Soto when it got here to his free company, particularly because of the reality Mets proprietor Steve Cohen is just not afraid to outspend anyone on a participant that he desires.
He clearly needed Soto and was going to do no matter it took to ensure he acquired him.
What makes Soto so interesting as a participant is that he’s not solely among the best hitters in baseball proper now, however he’s additionally nonetheless solely 26 years previous and may nonetheless very a lot be within the prime of his profession with a number of elite years nonetheless forward of him.
He has additionally been a difference-maker for each workforce he has performed for in MLB.
He helped lead the Washington Nationals to a World Collection championship in 2019, helped lead the San Diego Padres to an NLCS in 2022 and was the addition the Yankees wanted to get again to the World Collection in 2024.
Soto hit .288 with a .989 OPS in the course of the 2024 common season, hitting 41 house runs to go together with 109 RBI. He additionally had a .419 on-base share.
He was within the prime 4 of house runs, on-base share, slugging share and OPS throughout all of Main League Baseball.
It’s a franchise-altering transfer for the Mets, who have been already an NLCS workforce in 2024. The World Collection won’t be the expectation in 2025, and with Soto in the midst of their lineup together with Francisco Lindor that might be a sensible purpose.
The Yankees now have to determine easy methods to not solely fill an enormous opening of their lineup, they’ve to indicate their followers they’re nonetheless dedicated to profitable by making their very own large splash this offseason.
