Making the case for (and against) each of Juan Soto's main suitors
Juan Soto, the most coveted and high-profile free agent on the market this offseason, is reportedly scheduled to meet this week with the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Blue Jays. While it’s certain these four clubs will not be the only ones pursuing Soto – so far, he hasn’t tipped his hand, if he has a favorite – they’re likely to be among a small group with a realistic chance to sign him. MLB.com examined the case for and against each:
Which team has the edge right now? Why?
Mark Feinsand, senior national reporter: The Mets. I put them at a 51-49% favorite over the Yankees, mainly because financially, they are able to keep up with, or bypass, the other potential big spenders. The Yankees are certainly right there, and if the offers wind up being close, I could see Soto choosing to stay in the Bronx to hit next to Aaron Judge for the next seven years. It’s difficult for me to see any other team doing enough to pry Soto out of New York, but that doesn’t mean the Red Sox, Blue Jays, etc., won’t give it a try.
Bryan Hoch, Yankees beat reporter: Considering no team has made an official monetary offer yet, I’ll say it’s the Yankees, just based upon that he’s days removed from playing in a World Series game for them. He played his postgame comments with surgical precision after Game 5, making sure that the world knew he enjoyed his time with the Yankees, with Aaron Judge, Aaron Boone, everyone — but that his door would be open to all 30 teams. Soto knows what a 162-game season in the Bronx looks like, sounds like, feels like … and even more importantly, what the postseason was, and can be again. The Yankees have every reason in the world to dig deep and keep him.
Anthony DiComo, Mets beat reporter: I think it's the Mets. I just see them as highly motivated to land a generational-type star, which makes me think they won't be outbid. And if that's true – if they really do refuse to get outbid – then does anyone really believe Soto will go elsewhere?
Ian Browne, Red Sox beat reporter: Everyone around baseball is saying the Mets, which makes me think it won’t be the Mets. I’m going to keep him in the Bronx. In one year of Soto joining forces with Aaron Judge, the Yankees went from out of the playoffs in ‘23 to the World Series in ‘24. My guess is that [general manager] Brian Cashman wants to keep this modern-day Mickey Mantle/Roger Maris duo together for the coming years.
Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays beat reporter: The Mets. They just got a taste of the NLCS and watched while Soto took the team across town to the World Series. If this comes down to New York vs. New York, as many in the industry expect, I’m betting on a motivated Steve Cohen.
Teams will be making their best pitch to Soto. How will they sell him on their team?
The case for:
Yankees: Listen, Juan, you just lived it. You had the best offensive season of your career, highlighted by a Silver Slugger, a likely top-three MVP finish and a World Series appearance. Maybe even more importantly, you know that New York loves you already — hey, that guy wasn’t out in the right-field seats carrying an oversized blank check for his health. Stay in the Bronx long-term, and you’ll hit in front of Judge again for years. You’ll hit in Yankee Stadium 81 times a year. You and Judge can chase championships together, wind up in Monument Park together and go into Cooperstown with Yankees logos on your caps. The marketing opportunities will be endless, too. What else do you need? – Hoch
Mets: It's two-fold. One is the aforementioned money and their willingness to spend it. Two is the fact that they can suddenly make a really nice case about their organizational direction and ability to win. They can sell Soto like this: We'll pay you the most and also give you one of the best chances to win. … And by the way, in New York, you can continue to be an absolute alpha star. – DiComo
Red Sox: The Dominican Republic native has a pretty good idea of how special a place Boston was to countrymen David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez, though the latter certainly had some ups and downs. When the Red Sox are winning, there is no better place for a star to play, given the fervor of the fanbase. Surely, Ortiz and Martinez will try to sell Soto on this. Also, the Red Sox, after being conservative with payroll the last three seasons as they built up their young core at the Major League level and the farm system, seem ready to shell out money again for a transformational player, which Soto certainly is. – Browne
Blue Jays: Signings like George Springer, Kevin Gausman and the José Berríos extension show the Blue Jays aren’t afraid to spend, but Soto will cost more than all three of those contracts combined. The Blue Jays will need to convince Soto that they’ll continue to build -- and spend -- around him for the next decade-plus. Once you get another taste of the World Series with the Yankees, why sign with the team that just finished last place in your division unless you truly believe brighter days are ahead? If the Blue Jays have any shot at Soto, it has to involve Vladimir Guerrero Jr. … First at the pitch meeting, then receiving an extension of his own. – Matheson
The case against – if the money is all the same, what could make Soto decide to sign elsewhere?
Yankees: I don’t believe there is a scenario where the Yankees have the top bid, or match a top bid, and Soto goes elsewhere. It may well be that Soto and [agent] Scott Boras are looking to grab every dollar on the table, and if that’s the case, there is a good chance the Yankees do not have the highest bid. Hal Steinbrenner has said that he doesn’t want to have a payroll above $300 million, calling it “unsustainable” for the franchise long-term, and industry folks say that is no bluff. Now, here’s a thought for you: The Yanks did not have the high bid for Judge, far from it. They had to match the second-place bid from the Giants to keep him; Soto isn’t offering any similar hometown discounts, at least not to the Yankees. – Hoch
Mets: Maybe he really does love the Yankees and values re-signing there more than coming to Queens. Maybe the Dodgers get involved and he wants to be part of a super-team. If the money is all the same, lifestyle factors come into play, and that's an area in which the Mets – see: Yamamoto, Yoshinobu – haven't always fared well. – DiComo
Red Sox: Soto might wind up loving Boston. But he already knows how much he enjoys New York after playing there for a year. This could give the Yankees and Mets an edge over the Red Sox if the money winds up being relatively equal. While the Red Sox are confident they’re ready to start winning again, Soto might be more skeptical about it given the team’s absence in October the past three years. – Browne
Blue Jays: The Blue Jays are coming off a 74-88 season. Their internal optimism isn’t going to woo one of the biggest free agents in MLB history, but this gets even more difficult when Soto or any other top-end option looks at the Blue Jays’ immediate future. Will Vladdy stay in Toronto beyond 2025? If not, will money be spent to pair Soto with other legitimate stars? This could eventually reach a point where one team involved needs to tear up its projections and valuations and decide to blow everyone else out of the water entirely to get their guy. Is that really a move you’d expect to see from the Blue Jays’ front office? – Matheson