Mets land slugger Juan Soto for $765 million
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Lorenzo Delgado, Contributor
- December 9, 2024
Juan Soto goes from Bronx to Queens
The baseball world has been patiently waiting for the biggest free agent to announce where he’ll be playing next season. On a slow, chilly Sunday night in Dallas, the 2024 Baseball Winter Meetings quickly got hot with a big announcement. Superstar Juan Soto and the New York Mets agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract, according to multiple reports.
Soto’s contract has no money deferrals, and has the potential to reach above $800 million. Moreover, the Mets can void Soto’s opt-out after five years by increasing his average annual value (AAV) from $51 million to $55 million, according to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo.
The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is the highest paid athlete in professional sports history. Let that sink in. Think of the many great athletes who’ve played in their respective sports across the world.
Juan Soto sets news market
Soto has a richer deal than soccer legends Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe. Basketball superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry. In baseball, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. The market will continue to rise through the years to come.
Ohtani agreed to a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers a year ago. The three-time Most Valuable Player was baseball’s highest paid player in history. Soto has set a new record.
Soto, 25, was acquired by the Yankees via trade from the Padres last offseason. He helped the Bronx Bombers win the American League East with a 94-68 record on the way to the Yankees’ first Fall Classic since 2009.
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The four-time All-Star batted .288 with 166 hits, 31 doubles, 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a .989 OPS this season. Soto received the Louisville Slugger Platinum Award. He also finished third in the AL MVP race behind teammate Aaron Judge and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
The Mets struggled to begin their season with a 24-33 record at the end of May. Then rejuvenation restored the Mets clubhouse with Jose Iglesias‘ hit single “OMG,” and a friendly, purple McDonald’s character named Grimace.
‘OMG’ deal
The “OMG” Mets finished the season with a 89-73 record and earned the last Wild Card spot in the National League. The Mets defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card, and beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the divisional round. The Metropolitans were two wins away from returning to the World Series since 2015. However, the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers were too much for them.
Soto will be moving his belongings not too far away. A 14-mile car ride from the Bronx’s Yankee Stadium to Queens’ Citi Field. Soto, who helped the Nationals win the 2019 World Series, now pairs up with the 2024 NL MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor.
Moreover, in 35 career games at Citi Field Soto is hitting .333 with 12 home runs, 26 RBIs, and a 1.175 OPS in 146 plate appearances.
The Mets have a talented team heading into 2025. Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, and new addition Jose Siri will command the outfield. Mark Vientos, who batted .327 in the postseason, could potentially break out next season. Catcher Francisco Alvarez continues to improve offensively and defensively with his offseason workouts.
The Mets’ future is bright. Rookie outfielder LuisAngel Acuna made his debut this season and played 14 games. Furthermore, the Mets have young prospects like Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert, Ryan Clifford, Brandon Sproat on the rise.
Yes, Mets owner Steve Cohen hit a bump on the road in 2021 and 2022 with the offseason signings of future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Nevertheless, he just picked up the best free agent on the market, and guess what? He’s just getting started.
Lorenzo Delgado
Contributor
Lorenzo Delgado graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and is currently attending the University of Houston to earn his master’s degree. Lorenzo was formerly a contributing baseball writer for Call to the Pen on the Fansided Network. He is the host of an Astros baseball podcast called Full Seam Ahead, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and wherever podcasts are found.
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