The Big Lead

The Juan Soto sweepstakes are heating up

By Max Weisman

Five teams have reportedly made offers to the slugger
Five teams have reportedly made offers to the slugger / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
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The fight to sign the MLB's premier free agent is heating up as teams clamor for outfielder Juan Soto to join their team. According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi and NJ.com's Randy Miller, Soto has received offers from five teams. While we don't know what the teams offered, we do know that these teams are the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.

Soto, 26 and entering the best years of his career, is expected to sign a deal worth around $600 million and 12-14 or more years. While this deal won't eclipse the $700 million deal Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers last offseason, it would be the second-largest contract in MLB history.

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Soto was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Yankees last December. The 26-year-old hit a career-high 41 home runs and drove in 109 runs while hitting .288 in the regular season. In the Yankees' 14 playoff games, Soto hit .327 with four home runs and nine RBI, but New York came up just short, losing to the Dodgers in the World Series in five games.

Earlier this month, Yankees broadcaster and ESPN radio show host Michael Kay reported that Mets owner Steve Cohen is reportedly willing to pay Soto $50 million more than his next highest offer, potentially spelling doom for the other teams who submitted an offer. Cohen is the richest owner in the league and has a history of spending big to get free agents, and Soto would be a welcome addition to a team that was two wins away from a World Series appearance.

While the teams have submitted their offers, don't expect a deal to be done while you're sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner. The consensus around the league is that Soto will arrive at a decision just before or at the MLB Winter Meetings. The 2024 Winter Meetings are in Dallas, Texas from December 8-12.

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