Juan Soto's agent, Scott Boras, is perhaps without peer in his mission to get his clients the most money.
Boras was the first agent to negotiate $50 million, $100 million, $200 million, and $330 million dollar player contracts. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he has won more salary arbitration cases in major league history than any other agent.
It is expected, then, that Boras will drive a hard bargain for teams looking to sign Soto, the clear crown jewel of baseball's 2024-25 free agent class.
At least one front office is wary of being exploited to drive up Soto's salary with his next team.
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According to Andy Martino of SNY, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has balked at bidding on players — even a manager — whom he did not feel were truly interested in working in Queens.
"He was willing to pay Max Scherzer an historic annual salary, and offer Yoshinobu Yamamoto a record deal for a pitcher because he had met with these players, and determined that signing them was at least possible," Martino wrote of Cohen.
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When manager Craig Counsell left the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2024 season, the Mets were in on the discussions before hiring Carlos Mendoza. But Cohen made a lower offer to Counsell than the Brewers or Chicago Cubs, Martino wrote, because the owner "sniffed out" that Counsell was using the Mets as leverage and didn't actually want to manage in New York.
"Upcoming meetings between the Mets and Soto will be extremely important in determining if the Mets will indeed follow through on their intention to pursue Soto aggressively," Martino reported. "They won't allow themselves to be used."
Soto, 26, is expected to command the most lucrative contract of any free agent this offseason — if not ever — after hitting 41 home runs, driving in 109, and reaching base at a .419 clip with the New York Yankees last season.
The Yankees are expected to be aggressive in their attempt to re-sign Soto. General manager Brian Cashman told reporters that re-signing the outfielder is his highest priority.
Cashman spoke with Scott Boras yesterday, said Boras was going to get back to him on the type of meeting Juan Soto might want to have with the Yankees this offseason since he already knows the org so well. Yankees obviously want Soto back, priority No. 1.
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) November 5, 2024On Wednesday, Boras said he expects Soto to meet with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner at some point this offseason.
Scott Boras said that he expects that Juan Soto will meet with Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees' braintrust, at some point this offseason — the same way he will with other teams that have interest.
Hal/Soto met over the summer, too.
If Soto is genuine in his desire to return to The Bronx, Martino writes, the Yankees need not submit the top bid in terms of dollars to re-sign him — but they "will certainly have to come close."
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