The Los Angeles Dodgers shocked the baseball (and sports) world when they dished out a historic 10-year, $700 million deal to Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani this past offseason.
As crazy as those figures are, most people weren’t surprised.
After all, Ohtani is considered the modern-day Babe Ruth. (Although people are throwing that title around a little too loosely. Ohtani still has plenty of work to do in order to be mentioned in the same sentence as The Great Bambino.)
The next in-line for a massive, long-term contract is New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto.
While his figures aren’t expected to approach those of Ohtani’s, it’s safe to assume that his upcoming deal will be eye-opening to say the least.
At 25-years-old, Soto is right in the thick of the American League MVP race this season.
In many ways, he feels like the perfect Yankee.
Unlike many, he has not only welcomed the pressure and spotlight of the big-stage, he’s thrived in it.
Yankee fans would be absolutely furious if owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman allow Soto to leave the Bronx at the end of the season.
While there are concerns that Steinbrenner and Cashman have grown extremely cheap in recent years, the call on Soto may not be entirely up to them.
Maybe he wants to leave?
Ahh, who are we kidding?!? Of course he doesn’t want to leave. If you read between the lines, he’s made it clear his preference is to remain in pinstripes and possibly one day find his way into Monument Park.
Having said that, keeping him is going to cost a pretty penny. And the competition is going to be fierce.
According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, who consulted 28 MLB executives, agents, and insiders to gauge the market for Soto’s free agency, six teams were mentioned most frequently.
“It’s still very early, of course, but the Yankees and Mets were by far the most common answer when discussing potential outcomes with our panel of baseball insiders,” McDaniel reported.
“Beyond them, the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays were all brought up multiple times – but everyone else mentioned is seen as secondary to the New York clubs at this point.”
As McDaniel reported, the Yankees and crosstown rival Mets are seen as the most likely clubs to lock down Soto for the long-haul.
Interestingly, half of McDaniel’s panelists predicted Soto will command a contract between $500 million and $599 million, with the average projection reaching $482.5 million over 11.6 years.
Such a deal would make Soto the owner of baseball’s second-richest contract, trailing only Ohtani.
As mentioned, Soto is in the middle of yet another impressive season.
He’s currently batting .317 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI’s to go along with a whopping 1.025 OPS.
Earlier today, he delivered the go-ahead single in what should have been a triumphant Yankees victory over the Kansas City Royals. However, closer Clay Holmes ended up blowing the save in the ninth.
What are your thoughts on Soto as a player?
How about the report of those six teams being most interested in him?
Where do you think he will end up signing? … Will he stay in pinstripes? Or can you actually see him leaving the Yankees for the METS?!?
When it’s all said and done, what will his contract end up looking like? … Will he crack $600 million???