Juan Soto is on the cusp of securing the richest contract in Major League Baseball history if the latest developments in his sweepstakes are, in fact, true.
Per multiple reports, Soto is parsing through five offers that are all similar in term and price. According to the New York Post, the Mets and Yankees have set forth offers between the $710 million and $730 million range, which would break Shohei Ohtani’s heavily-deferred 10-year, $700 million deal signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter.
The Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays are believed to be the other three teams in the final hunt for Soto, but no clear favorite is truly known.
Conflicting reports suggest that the Mets have the upper hand because they have the limitless pockets of owner Steve Cohen pulling the strings and a run to the 2024 NLCS to boast about. This suggests that Soto could be the missing piece to a World Series puzzle.
Others imply that the Yankees are still his top choice, and if Hal Steinbrenner can get the money near the highest bidder, he would return to the Bronx for a second year and, likely, the remainder of his career.
The Red Sox and Blue Jays are capable of throwing big-time money at the 26-year-old, too, but neither the Red Sox nor the Blue Jays are as close to contending for a World Series as the New York clubs.
The Dodgers are the only west-coast team in the mix for Soto, as they are linked to every big-name free agent on the market, given their astronomical spending in recent years. The defending World Series champions offer the promise of a dynasty that would see Soto in the same lineup as Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman. Los Angeles also made the largest starting-pitching signing of the winter so far, bringing in Blake Snell. They are also believed to be the favorites for highly-touted Japanese youngster Rokie Sasaki.
