NEWSLETTER
There it is. At last. The Juan Soto Saga is over, and it’s the New York Mets landing him with a deal that blows all previous contracts in Major League Baseball history out of the freaking water.
15 years? Nuts. $765 million? Bonkers. NO deferred money? Absolutely a monstrous, monstrous contract. Consider that Shohei Ohtani’s heavily-deferred deal is essentially worth 10 years and $460 million max. This deal for Juan Soto is worth VASTLY more.
Reportedly, the Mets only just barely outbid the Yankees on the guarantee:
Soto, 26, is a transcendent talent who has already cemented himself among the best hitters to play in this generation, and within a few years, that’s probably going to be “any generation.”
More coming on this signing, obviously, and the fallout therefore. You can can tentatively expect the Yankees and Red Sox to act quickly to put to work some of the money they did not just spend. That may well include the Yankees calling on Cody Bellinger (and free agent pitchers), and the Red Sox acting on the pitching market (which could also impact the Cubs, especially if they’re preferring free agency to a big trade for Garrett Crochet). The Mets, of course, will be doing more now to make all of this worthwhile.
A lot could shake loose now in the coming day. Winter Meetings time, baby.
Earlier:
All right, folks. Time for this thing to wrap up. I’ll admit to have finally found myself mildly interested in where Juan Soto lands, irrespective of that decision’s impact on the rest of the market (though that’s still my primary interest).
And we may find out very, very soon:
So, the decision could come tonight, and we could find out before the Winter Meetings even begin tomorrow. It is reportedly down to the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and maaaaybe Dodgers. Most expect it to be a battle of the two New York teams in the end, with the bidding going over $700 million.
Stay tuned, and be ready for the fallout …
UPDATE: Another report out of New York that things could happen shortly:
