Where Will Juan Soto Land? Report Reveals Clear-Cut Favorite
Free agency is starting to heat up in the MLB, and the name that everyone around the league is paying attention to is superstar outfielder Juan Soto. The 26-year old stud is expected to earn a mammoth contract now that he’s on the open market, and there’s reportedly one team that is beginning to emerge as the frontrunner for his signature.
In his first season with the New York Yankees, Soto had a batting average of .288, while smacking 41 home runs and driving in 109 runs. His efforts helped the Yanks make it all the way to the World Series, although they ended up losing in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While Soto enjoyed a strong campaign with New York, he did not commit to re-signing with them, which has created a frenzy for his services on the open market. While the Yankees are one of the teams in the running for Soto, it sounds like their crosstown rival in the Mets are leading the pack right now.
Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, “The Mets are the clear-cut favorite, executives say, simply because they don’t believe there’s a soul who will outbid owner Steve Cohen, while Yankees have a price in mind that they don’t want to exceed.”
The Mets put together an unexpectedly strong 2024 campaign that saw them make it all the way to the National League Championship Series, where they lost to the eventual champion Dodgers in six games. The front office is intent on building off this season, and that has led them to Soto.
There is an abundance of big market teams that are interested in Soto, but none of them are reportedly willing to spend the amount of money the Mets are willing to spend on him. For a guy who is looking to maximize his value as much as Soto is, that could ultimately determine where he lands.
Nothing is official until Soto puts pen to paper on his new contract, but it looks like the Mets have some positive momentum working for them in their attempt to sign the star slugger. As a result, it will be worth keeping a close eye on them as the Soto sweepstakes continue to unfold.
