Juan Soto is taking his talents from the Bronx to Queens, reportedly agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets on Sunday night after a one-season stint with the New York Yankees.
This obviously is a crushing blow to the Yankees, fresh off a World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers after winning their first American League pennant since 2009, and a massive pickup for the Mets in their quest to rule the National League.
The Yankees didn’t go down without a fight, though. They, too, backed up the Brink’s truck in an effort to retain Soto’s services.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported the Yankees offered $760 million over 16 years.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported the same, citing a source, which equates to a $47.5 million average annual value. The Mets’ reported deal comes with a $51 million AAV.
Soto’s deal with the Mets — the richest contract in professional sports history — reportedly could surpass $800 million with escalators. According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, it includes an opt-out clause after the 2029 season, which the Mets can void by boosting the average annual value of the final 10 years from $51 million to $55 million.
It’s an astonishing sum of money for one of the best players in baseball. Soto, a four-time All-Star, is just 26 years old and on a Hall of Fame trajectory. He’s been an elite hitter throughout his seven-year MLB career with the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Yankees.
Soto is coming off a 2024 in which he slashed .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. He formed a lethal combo with Aaron Judge in the Yankees’ lineup, leading to an AL East title and a deep playoff run, but the Bronx Bombers now must turn their attention elsewhere.
The same goes for the other teams involved in the highly publicized Soto sweepstakes, including the Boston Red Sox, who reportedly presented a monstrous offer of their own before the superstar outfielder decided to join the Mets.
