Rumors about Juan Soto’s historic free agency are already circulating, and the sweepstakes is only getting started.
This offseason, Soto has met with a number of teams, including the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox. In addition, Soto will meet with the New York Yankees, who acquired him from the San Diego Padres last winter in an offseason trade that involved five player trades. Other teams will undoubtedly show interest as well.
A player of Soto’s level becoming a free agent is extremely uncommon, after all. He is a 26-year-old baseball star who is destined to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, will therefore take their time with his free agency and utilize these first encounters to learn more about each organization.
Whatever team Soto contracts with, he will be there for at least ten to fifteen years. Even though some reports indicate that an offer or offers have been made, it is highly unlikely that money will be discussed during these initial meetings because he will want to meet with the coaching staff, ownership, the front office, and possibly other team members to learn about the organization’s current and future plans.
According to what we know about Soto’s free agency, he cherishes winning, wants fair compensation, and places a high emphasis on staying near his family in the Dominican Republic. After that, Soto and Boras are the only ones who have firsthand knowledge of his thoughts and free will.
Here are some further details on his free agency.
The Toronto Blue Jays
Although the Blue Jays are a team interested in Soto, I don’t think they have a good chance of acquiring the great slugger. They have a lot of holes on the squad, are coming off a very bad season, and have doubts regarding the top of their lineup (Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are unsigned after 2025). Because of this, competing in 2025 would be challenging, and if Soto places a high value on winning, it might be difficult to persuade the 26-year-old to travel to Toronto.
The Boston Red Sox
According to reports, the Red Sox and Soto had a successful meeting. The Red Sox are also expected to invest this summer. The biggest reason I doubt their prospects on Soto is that I find it difficult to believe John Henry will outbid Hal Steinbrenner and Steve Cohen for a free agent who both owners are rumored to be interested in. However, I firmly believe that in 2025, the Red Sox’s roster will undergo a significant overhaul.
The New York Mets
In terms of potential bidders for Soto, the Mets are on par with the Yankees. Their lineup is of World Series caliber, they have financial freedom, their owner, Steve Cohen, is extremely wealthy, and there are countless marketing opportunities in New York. He becomes the team’s face right away if he signs with the Mets.
The New York Yankees
The Yankees can’t allow Soto escape, in my opinion. No, not after giving up five players to him. Not after he played a major role in New York’s World Series run. Not when, during the playoffs, players openly pleaded with ownership to re-sign Soto. The Yankees can’t afford to lose Soto, much less lose him to the Mets. General manager Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner need to do every effort to keep Soto in the Bronx.
