Juan Soto signs with Mets: Superstar agrees to record 15-year, $765 million deal in free agency

Soto now holds the record for the largest contract in MLB history

Juan Soto is heading to the other side of New York. Soto is leaving the Yankees and joining the Mets on a massive 15-year contract worth $765 million, the team announced Wednesday. That includes an opt out after five seasons, a $75 million signing bonus and no deferrals, all combining to make him the highest-paid player in MLB history.

"This is a seminal moment in franchise history," Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. "Juan Soto is a generational talent. He is not only bringing staggering historical statistics with him but also a championship pedigree."

The Mets beat out an aggressive and desperate Yankees team to sign Soto. Other clubs were involved in the bidding, including the Red Sox, the Blue Jays and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Yankees were the fiercest competition.

The Yankees made a 16-year, $760 million offer for Soto, per the New York Post, but it did not get a deal done. The Mets -- for now (and likely for the rest of the winter) the biggest winners of the offseason -- met Soto's and agent Scott Boras' asking price, sold him on the team's future, and convinced him to leave the Bronx for Queens.

Soto, 26, joined the Yankees in a seven-player trade with the San Diego Padres last offseason and had a brilliant year in pinstripes, slashing .288/.419/.569 with a career high 41 home runs and a career high 7.9 WAR. He walked more than he struck out for the fifth consecutive season, and also put up a .327/.469/.633 line with four homers in 14 postseason games.

After teaming up with AL MVP Aaron Judge to form the game's most devastating offensive duo since at least David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, Soto will now join NL MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor at Citi Field. Lindor slashed .279/.344/.500 with 33 homers and 29 stolen bases in addition to stellar shortstop defense in 2024. The Mets now move forward with two perennial MVP candidates.

Our R.J. Anderson ranked Soto the best free agent available this offseason. Here's the write-up:

For the second offseason in a row, these rankings are topped by a future Hall of Famer. Soto is, plainly, one of the five best hitters in the world. He pairs elite plate discipline with elite strength and elite barrel awareness; that triumvirate empowered him to become the first left-handed hitter in nearly two decades to record consecutive seasons in which he recorded at least 35 home runs and walked more than he struck out. How's this for consistency: Soto has been an everyday big-league player since he was 19 years old, yet he's never finished a season (no matter the number of games played) with an OPS+ below 140. The dangdest thing about Soto is that, for as accomplished as he is, next season will represent his age-26 campaign. (To put that into perspective, Yankees catcher Austin Wells just finished his first full big-league season following a reasonably paced development path … and he's only 260 days younger than Soto.) Nitpick Soto's defense and question how long he'll avoid the DH role if you so choose. Eventually, you must concede that players this skilled, this accomplished, and this young seldom reach free agency. Expect him to get paid in accordance to that reality.

The Mets will now shift to other offseason business, and reinforce the team around Lindor and Soto. Pete Alonso is a free agent and must be re-signed or replaced. Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, and Luis Severino ranked 1-2-3 on the team in innings in 2024; Manaea and Quintana are free agents, and Severino recently signed a three-year deal with the Athletics. The Mets have recently added some starting pitching in Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. The Mets also need to strengthen their bullpen and their bench, two things lead executive David Stearns excels at.

Between Soto, Starling Marte, and Brandon Nimmo, the Mets have three corner outfielders for two corner outfield spots, though the DH spot is open, and all three will likely cycle through. Marte has battled injuries the last few years and slotting him in at DH may be the best way to keep him on the field. Three players for two spots isn't a problem. It's just something the Mets have to work out.

The Mets went 75-87 in 2023 and things went so poorly they sold at the trade deadline. They then rebounded to go 89-73 in 2024, including an MLB-best 65-38 after June 2, and made a spirited run to the NLCS. The Mets were eliminated by the Dodgers in six games. Now they're banking on Soto taking them even further in 2025, and beyond.

[Dec 8, 2024 at 10:42 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

It's done. Juan Soto will be a Met.

[Dec 8, 2024 at 8:37 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

Soto decision near?

Cry-wolf considerations are intact, yes, but here are these Juan Soto dispatches for what they're worth: 

And: 

By way of reminder, the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays are the most serious, with the Dodgers at least on the margins. The Yankees and Mets remain the co-favorites to land the most coveted free agent of the offseason and maybe ever, and the bidding will surely push Soto's next contract past $700 million. Developing!

[Dec 8, 2024 at 2:13 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Red Sox still 'in the mix' 

The Red Sox are "believed" to be "still in the mix" for Juan Soto, reports masslive.com. The five teams rumored to be heavily in on Soto are the Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Mets and Dodgers, though many believe the Dodgers are on the periphery. This report notes that it's possible both the Mets and Yankees are in "no matter what it takes" mode to land Soto, but it's still notable that the Red Sox remain competitive here. 

[Dec 8, 2024 at 1:29 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Aaron Boone awaiting the news... in Philly

Yankees manager Aaron Boone, like the rest of us, is presumably eagerly awaiting word on Juan Soto's new contract. But he, like a lot of us, is not going to let it interfere with his football consumption plans this Sunday. The Yankees skipper -- and a Philadelphia Eagles fan -- is in the house at Lincoln Financial Field as the Birds host the Carolina Panthers. 

[Dec 7, 2024 at 7:51 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Yankees, Mets raise offers

Both New York teams have raised their offers to Juan Soto into the $710 to $730 million range, according to the New York Post. The Mets are believed to have a slightly superior offer, but the Post notes that Soto will not necessarily take the highest bid. Additionally, the Post notes that Soto is weighing five offers, with the top four being similar in terms. Those are, presumably, the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers in no particular order. A resolution to the Soto sweepstakes is expected within days.

[Dec 7, 2024 at 10:52 am ET · Dayn Perry]

Dodgers still in Soto mix

While the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays are believed to have the highest offers for Juan Soto's services, the world-champion Dodgers are not to be discounted. Speaking of which, here's this from ESPN's Alden Gonzalez: 

"And though they are not looked upon as favorites for Juan Soto, sources familiar with the process say the Dodgers made a highly competitive offer to the superstar outfielder who is expected to sign for more than $600 million -- simply because they can."

The Dodgers may not get to $700 million, but instead they can promise Soto a roster stuffed with other stars and an ongoing commitment to contention that these days no other team can match. Then, of course, there's the fact that the Dodgers are fresh off winning the World Series. They can't be considered the favorites right now, but Andrew Freidman's club also can't be dismissed. 

[Dec 7, 2024 at 7:56 am ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Another day of Soto Watch

Juan Soto remains a free agent as the sun rises on the East Coast on Saturday morning. There were no substantial rumors overnight, and fans await news of a decision. What we know:

• The Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers are the five teams seen as finalists.
• Four of those teams -- the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Jays -- have made offers in the "ballpark" of $700 million, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
  
• Soto is reportedly expected to sign a contract in the next ~48 hours, though his timeline is really anyone's guess.
• Baseball's free agency is expected to kick into high gear after Soto signs with most top free agents still on the market and MLB's Winter Meetings set for next week.

[Dec 6, 2024 at 6:14 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

A reminder of Juan Soto's greatness

(Side note: There is no way there were 24 better plays in 2024 than this.)

[Dec 6, 2024 at 3:51 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Soto 'going to set a record'?

As the baseball world continues to wait for Juan Soto, Jon Heyman of the New York Post provided an update on the Soto bidding Friday afternoon. Per Heyman, the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays and Red Sox are all believed to have made offers "in the ballpark" of $700 million. Heyman added he expects Soto to "set a record" by topping Shohei Ohtani's $700 million deal.

Heyman noted the Dodgers have not hit the $700 million mark with Soto, but said they are "still in it."

"I think he's going to set a record, unless by chance -- and the Dodgers are probably the long shot in this -- by chance he says I'm not so interested in an extra 30, 40, 50, 60 million. I want to go to the best team. So they're still in it as far as I know. Obviously, he probably has a pecking order. ...He certainly knows at this point who are the top two or three teams."

[Dec 6, 2024 at 2:27 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Blue Jays remain in mix

According to what sources told Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, the Blue Jays remain on the shortlist of potential Soto suitors. As Davidi notes, it's unclear how good of a chance Toronto has at landing Soto, or if this will play out similarily to last winter, when the Blue Jays came up short on Shohei Ohtani.

[Dec 6, 2024 at 12:23 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Let's check in on Mets fan Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell is a star player on the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. He's a busy man this time of year. But he's also a diehard Mets fan. So, like the rest of us, he's following Soto rumors online. As the maybe-not-so-credible rumors swirl, Mitchell is trying to figure out what to believe. We are all, Donovan, we all are.

Ironically enough, the first Friday of December last year was when rumors swirled about Shohei Ohtani signing with the Blue Jays. He announced he was going to the Dodgers the next day.

[Dec 6, 2024 at 11:09 am ET · R.J. Anderson]

Breslow (sort of) addresses Soto pursuit

Top Red Sox baseball operations executive Craig Breslow talked a little about his offseason philosophy to NESN, noting that the club thinks it's important to have several potential plans in place.

"I think the one thing we want to avoid is putting ourselves in a position where the success of our offseason hinges on a single transaction, because there's just too much uncertainty around any of that," Breslow said. "We have to constantly think about, 'OK, this is Plan A, but if that falls through, what does Plan B look like, and what does Plan C look like?' And so on."

In addition to Soto, the Red Sox have been linked to various other top free agents. CBS Sports recently argued that Boston should be one of the winter's most aggressive teams.

[Dec 6, 2024 at 9:39 am ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Is today the day Juan Soto agrees to a new deal?

It's certainly possible. The buzz continues to grow around MLB's top free agent, and the five finalists -- the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers -- reportedly remain in play for the superstar slugger. There has not been anything substantial on the Soto rumors front yet this morning, but Dec. 6 is an important date for one team in the process.

The Yankees acquired Soto in a trade with the Padres on Dec. 6, 2023. It obviously worked out well for one season, but Yankees fans (and their front office) were hoping that Soto remained in pinstripes for a long time when they made the deal one year ago. 

Yankees fans can hope they seem a similar version of this tweet 366 days later.

[Dec 5, 2024 at 6:06 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Red Sox remain in

The Red Sox "remain involved" in the Soto bidding, according to the Boston Globe, and recently upped their offer to $600 million. That might not end up being enough to get the job done, but it's a very serious offer. Serious enough, in fact, that the team has reportedly requested another meeting with Soto and Boras to "identify a price that would get a deal done." Whether or not that meeting comes to fruition, the Red Sox are in this thing. 

[Dec 5, 2024 at 5:18 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

More from Curry on potential Soto deal

On the Michael Kay Show in New York: 

"I think he's getting a 14- or 15-year deal and I think he's going to exceed what Ohtani counts per season." 

$46,081,476 is the luxury tax number on Ohtani, but Curry says he's talking about what the MLBPA uses, which is $43M+. A 15-year deal at $43 million would be $645 million, so we could probably bump that up a little bit and see that it still falls shy of Ohtani's $700 million. 

"I would be shocked if this wasn't resolved before the winter meetings," Curry said, noting that the signing team would love to have a press conference introducing Soto at the winter meetings in Dallas next week. 

[Dec 5, 2024 at 5:15 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Dodgers on periphery

Jack Curry of YES Network said Thursday on The Michael Kay Show there are four teams bidding for Juan Soto right now with the Dodgers "on the outskirts." That seemingly leaves the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Blue Jays.

[Dec 5, 2024 at 3:53 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Soto deal landing north of $700M?

It seems likely, based on the tea leaves, that Juan Soto's deal will be worth more than $600 million. But could that number of a nine-figure deal start with a 7? And will he beat Shohei Ohtani's record of $700 million in total money? It certainly seems possible.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic threw out $750 million as a possibility on Thursday.

There's also this report from MassLive:

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.

All this is welcomed news for Mr. Soto and Scott Boras, who could break some records in the coming days.

[Dec 5, 2024 at 3:02 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

All five finalists still alive

The five Juan Soto finalists -- the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers -- are all still in the mix to sign the free-agent superstar, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman also says "don't assume anyone's a heavy favorite." 

[Dec 5, 2024 at 1:28 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

The Red Sox once traded away Mookie Betts. Are they finally ready to go all in?

Why the Red Sox should be all in this winter: Talented core, MLB-ready top prospects mean Boston's time is now

R.J. Anderson

[Dec 5, 2024 at 1:10 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Former Yankee signs record-breaking deal

No, not Juan Soto. But Luis Severino -- a former Yankee and Met -- is heading to Sacramento. The A's signed the right-hander to a three-year, $67 million deal on Thursday. It's the largest guaranteed deal in A's team history. While the free-agent floodgates are expected to open after Soto agrees to his deal, this is a sign that the hot stove is starting to heat up with the Winter Meetings around the bend.

Luis Severino, Athletics reportedly agree to $67 million deal, the largest in franchise history

Dayn Perry

[Dec 5, 2024 at 1:03 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

The Dodgers have more superstars on their roster than they can count. What's one more?

Juan Soto to the Dodgers? How star free agent fits payroll structure and why they need him more than you think

Mike Axisa

[Dec 5, 2024 at 12:42 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

The Blue Jays shocked some people when they came out as a top contender for Soto, but should it be that big of a surprise?

Juan Soto free agency: Three reasons why surprise suitor Blue Jays may be the perfect fit

Matt Snyder

[Dec 5, 2024 at 12:27 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

The Mets have the money, thanks to Steve Cohen. Can they lure Soto away from their crosstown rivals?

Juan Soto free agency: Why Mets have more to offer than biggest paycheck in pursuit of superstar

Mike Axisa

[Dec 5, 2024 at 12:23 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

'Very close to decision time'

Juan Soto and Scott Boras might be the only ones who actually know the timeline for when the superstar slugger will sign his new contract, but many signs are pointing to it coming soon, before the Winter Meetings kick off in earnest on Monday next week. The latest on that front? MLB Network's Jon Morosi said Thursday he is hearing Soto is "very close" to reaching a decision.

[Dec 5, 2024 at 12:12 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

And then we get to the teams. The Yankees had Soto for the entirety of the 2024 season after trading for him over the winter. Can they afford to let him go? 

Juan Soto free agency: Why incumbent Yankees have the upper hand on other suitors after just one season

Dayn Perry

[Dec 5, 2024 at 11:51 am ET · Kate Feldman]

And conversely, here are the top 10 teams based on how Soto fits in. Do they have room in the lineup? Payroll? Are they actually contending?

Juan Soto free agency: Ranking top 10 teams by best fit for superstar slugger

Matt Snyder

[Dec 5, 2024 at 11:32 am ET · Kate Feldman]

Here's how we thought the odds would break down for the top contenders vying to land the generational talent.

Ranking Juan Soto's landing spots: Do Mets or Yankees have a better shot? Plus surprise old team high on list

R.J. Anderson

[Dec 5, 2024 at 11:14 am ET · Kate Feldman]

Our own R.J. Anderson talked to MLB insiders about how much they think Soto's contract will earn him. Can he beat Shohei Ohtani's top-line number of $700 million?

Juan Soto contract predictions: Could free-agent superstar beat Shohei Ohtani's deal? What insiders think

R.J. Anderson

[Dec 5, 2024 at 11:05 am ET · Kate Feldman]

It feels like a decade ago, but last month our CBS Sports MLB experts predicted where Soto will land.

Juan Soto predictions: Where will superstar sign? Slugger hits free agency with Mets, Yankees in pursuit

Mike Axisa

[Dec 5, 2024 at 11:04 am ET · Kate Feldman]

Well, folks, here we are. Juan Soto is...probably going to sign soon? The most exciting free agency of the year sure seems like it's coming to a head, with multiple reports that he could announce his decision before the Winter Meetings get going next week in Dallas. While we wait and the Yankees wait and the Mets wait and the Dodgers and the Blue Jays and the Red Sox wait, let's dive into what we know so far.