Everyone, even those with an interest in the outfielder’s most recent employer, seems to have opinions about Juan Soto.
A poll asking whether the 26-year-old free agent is worth a possible $700 million contract this offseason was posted on Twitter/X by Patrick Bet-David, a limited partner with the New York Yankees. With almost 23,000 votes as of the time of publication, the survey presents three options: “Yes,” “No,” and “What’s the alternative?” It seems to ask how the team may replace Soto in its lineup with other free-agent possibilities.
46% of respondents replied no, 40% said yes, and 14% said “what’s the alternative?” indicating that most respondents are unwilling to write such a large check.
Multiple media reports suggest that the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays are among the teams competing to sign Juan Soto, alongside the Yankees, who acquired him from the San Diego Padres during the 2023 offseason. Since Sunday, speculation has emerged that the Red Sox—who previously vowed to reduce spending after trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers following the 2019 season—have caused the Yankees to hesitate in their pursuit of the highly sought-after Soto.
Since debuting in the major leagues with the Washington Nationals in 2018 at just 19 years old, Juan Soto has been a pivotal contributor to the success of three teams. He played a key role in the Nationals’ historic 2019 World Series victory, helped the San Diego Padres come within three games of the 2022 World Series, and led the New York Yankees in numerous offensive categories during their 2024 World Series campaign.
Lester Crown, Jerry Speyer, and longtime partner Marvin Goldklang were among the other minority owners that Bet-David joined in 2023. Valuetainment, an entrepreneurship and politics-focused platform that began as a YouTube channel in 2012, has helped Bet-David establish his public image, even though his fortune was built with PHP Agency Inc., an insurance company he launched in 2009.
The most noteworthy of Bet-David’s many responses to some Twitter users who took part in the Soto poll was a kind of predictor. “The market disagrees with you,” Bet-David responded in response to a user who said that “no ball player is worth $700 million.” Five years from now, we will have a billion-dollar contract.
