ESPN: Juan Soto’s Next Contract amount to “something closer to $800 million.”
The best player available in free agency this winter is outfielder Juan Soto. The whole baseball community is eager to see where the 26-year-old will play over the course of the next ten or more years of his career. Will he sign with the New York Yankees again or play for the New York Mets across town? Would he be able to play for the Boston Red Sox or Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East? How about a contract with the Dodgers of Los Angeles? Despite the fact that both New York teams have long been considered favorites, nobody can predict where Soto will end up.
There has also been much discussion over how much money Soto would receive. The $600 million range has been the typical prediction, while some have gone higher. Buster Olney of ESPN suggested that Soto get a contract worth $750 million over 15 years. Could it rise much further due to competition from interested teams? The well-known clubs still vying for Soto’s services include the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. Negotiations are “coming to a head” and a resolution may be reached before the Winter Meetings begin on Monday, according to a story published Thursday by Sean McAdam of MassLive. Additionally, he stated that Soto’s agreement may exceed even the most optimistic forecasts.
“It’s believed that every team that remains engaged on Soto has made an offer of at least $600 million, but with competition intensifying, one industry source said it would not be surprising if the winning bid surpassed the $700 million mark and perhaps even approached something closer to $800 million,” wrote McAdam. This kind of deal would shatter a lot of records, depending on how much deferred money is involved. Although Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal from last winter is the norm, $680 million of it is deferred, so the current worth is about $460 million.
It will be interesting to observe the actual contract figures and Soto’s long-term official landing spot. Making a choice will also enable the remaining free agents to begin their journey.
