The race for Juan Soto is now down to five teams, and the free agent outfielder is targeting a $700 million contract, according to a new report.
Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media reports that the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays have all presented offers to Soto. Jon Morosi of MLB Network confirmed the report Monday night.
Juan Soto has offers from 5 teams, source confirms the report by @RandyJMiller.
Boston Red Sox
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays @MLBNetwork
According to Miller, all five teams have already presented contract offers to Soto and agent Scott Boras "late last week." Miller also reports that Soto is "believed to be seeking a 15-year deal worth more than $700 million."
A 15-year, $700 million contract could potentially set a record for a baseball player in terms of both years and dollars. Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dec. 2023, but the deferred money in the deal brought its present-day value to $437,830,563 in total, according to calculations by the MLB Players Association.
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At 26, Soto is three years younger than Ohtani was a year ago. He's made four All-Star teams, won a World Series ring, and hit 201 home runs across seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees.
Soto hit 41 homers, scored an AL-leading 128 runs, drove in 109, and reached base at a .419 clip batting ahead of Judge with the New York Yankees in 2024. Soto finished third in MVP voting behind only Judge and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and was instrumental in leading the Yankees back to the World Series for the first time since 2009.
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The teams who lined up to meet Soto reportedly all sent a representative from ownership and the team's baseball operations department (a president of baseball operations and/or a general manager), as well as the manager. Ostensibly each meeting went well enough that the five teams were compelled to present a formal offer.
Soto is widely expected to sign during the week of the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas, Dec. 8-12.
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With Soto commanding such a large contract, the rest of the free-agent dominos are waiting for him to sign before they can fall. The four teams that do not sign Soto will have plenty of money to spend — and holes to fill — elsewhere on their roster once Soto's fate is sealed.
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