Juan Soto is considered the most valuable player in this MLB off-season. Last year, Shohei Ohtani shocked the baseball world when he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 10-year contract worth $700 million. The Dodgers will be deferring that money, meaning Ohtani will only be paid $20 million during his 10-year tenure with the Dodgers, as the rest of the money will be paid to him after he retires.
With Winter Meetings just around the corner, the MLB has all its eyes on Juan Soto. Soto may not be looking to defer that type of money, and his asking price will be the same as that of Ohtani. Many are curious as to which MLB owner will be willing to fork up that $600-$700 million contract?
Rumors have been flying left and right about Juan Soto’s career destination. With Soto closing in on the teams he will want to sign with, the Red Sox have been making a lot of noise this off-season. Juan Soto heading over to Boston is the stuff of a Yankee fan’s worst nightmare. If Soto is willing to sign to get as much money as possible, the Red Sox may be able to give him a $600 million contract. Fenway Park would be a great park for Soto to play at and will have “doubles galore off the Monster,” as Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch describes it.
While he is no Aaron Judge, Rafael Devers is an All-Star level slugger who has scared even the likes of Yankees’ own Gerrit Cole after allowing Devers a walk and refusing to pitch against him in a September matchup. Devers slashed at .272/.354/.516 with 28 home runs, 143 hits, and 83 RBIs in 2024. Soto and Devers together on the same team could benefit Boston and place them back in postseason contention with a talent like Juan Soto on the team.
It’s hard to believe that Hal Steinbrenner would be willing to lose out on Juan Soto to the Boston Red Sox. Say Soto signs with Boston, and there’ll be pitchforks all over Steinbrenner’s office within minutes. The Yankees’ front office will likely try to avoid that as much as possible by outbidding the Red Sox and pushing Soto to stay in the Bronx.
The most realistic option for Soto’s landing spot outside the Yankees would be the New York Mets. Cohen has the highest payroll in all of MLB, with a $314,748,899 payroll in 2024. The only team behind them is the Yankees, with a payroll of $308,574,607.
The only owner who can possibly outspend Hal Steinbrenner is Mets’ Steve Cohen, who has an absurd ability to spend and will spend as much as he needs to win. Leaks have surfaced of Juan Soto being offered a 15-year, $700 million contract, but there is no official word on the validity of the statement.
After a surprising postseason run, the Mets have shown that Juan Soto is the missing piece they need to make it all the way to the World Series. Having Juan Soto on the Mets could have them favored to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers next postseason, and the Mets have a young team on the rise.
The only worrying aspect about the Mets roster is that they could potentially lose out on first baseman Pete Alonso. Alonso has been with the Mets since his first year with the Mets in 2019 and has had a career average of .249/.339/.514 with 781 hits and 226 home runs. Last season, Alonso hit 34 home runs with 146 hits and 88 RBIs.
While signing Juan Soto could cause the Mets to lose out on their star first baseman, they could work a best-case scenario where they first re-sign Alonso, who could be a convincing justification for Soto to sign with the Mets.
Alonso is projected to sign for $174 million, according to Sportrac. A $600 million and $174 million contract is a hefty price for Cohen, but he’s not afraid to spend and could be willing to break the bank if it lands the Mets a World Series championship. A trio of Lindor, Alonso, and Soto can be a huge offensive threat in the postseason and put the Mets as legitimate World Series contenders.
The Los Angeles Dodgers just became World Series Champions and are not looking to stop at one championship. They recently signed Blake Snell to further beef up their starting rotation after having guys like Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw down due to injuries.
Snell posted an ERA of 3.12 with 145 strikeouts and a 1.048 WHIP in 2024. The Dodgers have strengthened their starting rotation this off-season and could be looking to build up their offensive lineup further by adding Soto.
After acquiring Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto last season and now adding Blake Snell to the mix, the Dodgers proved they have the money to spend. The Dodgers have a roster capable of winning multiple championships, and adding Juan Soto to that roster would create an unstoppable dynasty.
Soto may not be looking to join the team that beat him in the World Series last season, nor would he look to defer any money from his contract, so Soto to Los Angeles may just be a pipe dream for Dodger fans.
It’ll be no surprise to anyone in baseball if Juan Soto ends up staying with the New York Yankees. Posting a slash line of .388/.419/.569 with 42 home runs, 166 hits, and 109 RBIs, Soto has had one of his best career seasons so far and is only 26 years old. Yankee Stadium has been a lefty batter’s dream stadium and has benefitted Soto in his 2024 season.
Soto’s full season with the Yankees has shown how much the fanbase loves and enjoys watching Soto. From the Bleacher Creatures screaming out “Re-sign Soto!” towards right field during nearly every game to even a song written about him by renowned Dominican artist El Alfa aptly named “Soto Shuffle.” Yankees fans truly believe Soto belongs in the Bronx.
With a full season under his belt, Soto knows his value to the Yankees. His 2024 postseason performance single-handedly proved to Steinbrenner and Yankees’ manager Brian Cashman that Soto is irreplaceable. Going from their worst season in 30 years to World Series contenders in just one season demonstrates Soto’s generational ability to make teams better.
The Yankees were known for having the greatest sluggers play in pinstripes, and Soto has the choice to be part of that legacy in New York and have another shot at a World Series.
The Yankees also have another generational slugger on their roster, Aaron Judge. Judge’s 2024 season (.322/.458/.701 with 58 home runs, 180 hits, and 144 RBIs) has landed him with his second AL MVP trophy. While his postseason performance has left more to be desired, it’s no question that Judge’s ability to carry the Yankees throughout the regular season has been phenomenal.
Having Soto sign with the Yankees can help get the ball rolling for the Yankees’ offseason plans and further build their roster to be more competitive in the postseason. Soto’s full year with Judge can help him decide where he wants to play, and no other baseball hitter can compare to Aaron Judge outside of Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto himself.
Steinbrenner knows the importance and value of Soto, and only time will tell if Steinbrenner can make a convincing offer to have Soto stay in pinstripes.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
