Multiple industry insiders suggest that the Juan Soto free-agency sweepstakes will end with Soto rejoining the New York Yankees via a new deal or moving to the New York Mets.
During Monday’s edition of ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show,” the Yankees announcer warned fans of the Bronx Bombers that Mets owner Steve Cohen is ready to hand Soto and agent Scott Boras a so-called “‘Godfather’ offer” to convince the All-Star outfielder to play home games in Queens.
“I’ve heard from somebody in baseball today that Cohen is willing to go $50M over whatever anybody offers,” Kay said about the Mets’ pursuit of Soto. “So it looks like the Mets really want to get this guy.”
Kay initially reacted to a report shared by MLB insider Hector Gomez over the weekend about the Mets allegedly offering Soto $660M over 15 years. Boras could be looking to land a deal worth closer to $700M
“I’ll put it this way,” Kay explained. “…I don’t think the Yankees are going to go [up to $700M]. I don’t.”
After Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said this past spring that his club’s payroll was “not sustainable” due to luxury-tax penalties, Kay mentioned that Steinbrenner was “not bluffing” because he “has to answer to” people who “are entitled to make a profit.” As for Cohen, the richest owner in MLB is reportedly ready to “go full blast” regarding Soto’s services after the Mets completed a trip to this year’s National League Championship Series.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are among other legitimate candidates to win Soto’s signature. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic also confirmed that the Dodgers are scheduled to meet with Soto’s camp on Tuesday. It’s thought that the structure of the deal, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers last offseason, gives the reigning World Series champions the financial flexibility needed to pay Soto.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers noted in a piece published Tuesday morning that 12 out of 18 “MLB team executives and baseball insiders” believe the Yankees will do enough to convince Soto to commit his long-term future to the storied club. It remains to be seen if the 26-year-old would accept a little less money to reject the Mets and continue playing alongside Yankees captain Aaron Judge through the remainder of their primes.
