In what is thought to be the most valuable contract in team sports history, superstar outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Mets reached an agreement on a 15-year, $765 million contract.
The details of Soto’s enormous contract, which now places him as the biggest name in professional sports, were verified to NBC News by a person involved with the negotiations after ESPN first reported on Soto’s decision to leave Yankee Stadium for Citi Field on Sunday night.
Generational sensation Shohei Ohtani said on Monday of last year that he had inked a $700 million contract to relocate from the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim to the Dodgers, who play in downtown Los Angeles.
Another audacious effort by the Mets ownership to break out of the huge shadow created by the surrounding Yankees is Soto’s move from the Bronx to Queens.
According to Baseball Prospectus data, Mets owner Steve Cohen has never been afraid to spend his wallet. In 2024, he spent an MLB-high $341.8 million on his 40-man roster.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor has a $341 million, ten-year contract. In 2023, Cohen had already spent $130 million on Max Scherzer and $86.7 million on Justin Verlander before shipping both of the well-known pitchers off.
In order to qualify for the playoffs and force the eventual world champion Los Angeles Dodgers to play Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, the Mets overcame a 24-35 start this season.
With 768 runs, the seventh-highest total in baseball, the NL East team possessed a potent offensive. The Mets’ offense should be strengthened by Soto’s presence, or at the very least, the impact of potentially losing first baseman Pete Alonsoto to free agency will be lessened.
Soto’s departure could be a huge setback for the AL-champion Yankees,who lost the World Seriesin five games to the Dodgers in October.
This season, the Yankees had the third-best offensive in baseball, scoring 815 runs with a top-heavy lineup that is now suddenly missing a vital player.
Along with Giancarlo Stanton (72) and Aaron Judge (144), the American League MVP, Soto scored 109 runs for the Yankees, forming a potent combination.
However, the champion Dodgers had five players with at least 75 RBIs, while they were the only three Bombers with at least 72. Five of the Mets’ hitters in 2024 had at least 69 RBIs.
Since their founding in 1962, the Mets have won two World Series (1969 and 1986).
Even though the Miracle Mets and the dominant 1986 club are two of the most well-known teams in baseball from the 20th century, the Mets have long struggled to dispel the lengthy shadow cast by the 27-time champion Yankees.
The signing of Soto is the Mets’ most aggressive attempt to deprive the Yankees of the Big Apple spotlight to date.
The 26-year-old Soto was by far the most sought-after free agent this winter, prized as much for his exceptional baseball abilities as his birthdate.
Before being permitted to fully test free agency, baseball players must serve six years in Major League Baseball. Those six years of club control at below-market pay may deter free agents who may be nearing or have already passed their athletic prime, which is about age thirty.
As a 19-year-old sensation, Soto made his major league debut, starting the clock on free agency early and giving suitors a unique opportunity to acquire a player with so many more years of prime left in his career.
Along with 109 RBIs (sixth most), he hit a career-high 41 home runs (fourth most) this season.
In 2024, Soto drew walks in 18.1% of his plate appearances, which is higher than the MLB average of 8.4%. He is also one of baseball’s most patient and disciplined hitters.
Additionally, he only struck out 16.7% of the time in an era of swing-for-the-fences baseball, whereas the league whiffed at a 22.2% pace this season.
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