The candidates for free agent star Juan Soto have reportedly been narrowed down to eight finalists, including the Mets and Yankees, of course. But there is one club in particular that both of our teams should pay attention to.
The six teams known to remain are big market clubs, and this could certainly be a record deal, at least in terms of total value. But the biggest threat to lure Soto away from New York and away from the Mets and now the Yankees may be the deep-pocketed Toronto Blue Jays.
The Jays are seen by industry sources as a viable obstacle to the favored Yankees and Mets, thanks to their wealthy ownership and strong incentives to bounce back from a disappointing 2024. They have a hard time attracting superstars, probably for geographical reasons. and finances (high taxes and the Canadian dollar complicate things). However, they are rumored to be very ambitious, with sources suggesting they intend to make a big splash.
The Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox and two other “mystery” teams (one is considered a small market team) will join the Jays, Mets and Yankees on the trip to Southern California, and the 26-year-old It is believed that the team is planning to visit. The old Superstars start this week.
It was reported here that the World Series champion Dodgers are interested in whether Soto, who resides in Miami and his native Dominican Republic, would be interested in returning to the West after a stint in San Diego. If they can get past that perceived geographic hurdle, they could team up with a favorite to win the competition, starting with the best collection of talent in MLB and featuring Japanese star pitcher Roki Sasaki. Needless to say, we can provide the means and more.
The Giants have worked hard to acquire superstars through free agency and trades (Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge to name a few), and the Reds have fallen down the standings after recently opting out of big free agents. The Sox are also seen as legitimate Soto players. The exact date of the visit is a closely guarded secret, but the Yankees are believed to be scheduled for next Monday.
The Mets, home to baseball's richest owner Steve Cohen, will take nearly $100 million in “dead money” off their books and continue their meteoric rise after a surprising run to the National League Championship. He has great determination and is clearly a strong player in the Elite 8 team. . No one outside Soto's camp knows for sure, but Yankees officials originally viewed the Mets and Jays as their most serious competitors.
At least Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone will be accompanying club owner Hal Steinbrenner on the trip to see Soto, who put together an MVP-caliber season with 41 home runs and a .989 OPS. (However, the award will definitely go to the Yankees) (Judging Teammate). Soto is considered to have great overall experience in pinstripes, giving the Yankees high hopes for a player who remains their top priority this winter. However, it is unclear whether the “hometown” discount will be applied.
The Yankees signed Gerrit Cole and Judge, just as Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto did before going to the Dodgers for $325 million plus a $50.6 million posting fee and helping them beat the Yankees. Sometimes there is a line to be drawn. World Series (Yankees bid $300 million). Soto didn't deviate from the script after the World Series loss, saying “all 30 teams” would be considered.
He also said he likes teams that win, but he also prefers teams that show “how much they want me.” That will become clearer in the coming weeks as negotiations progress. That's a big reason why the wealthy Mets, as well as the similarly deep-pocketed Jays, are considered strong candidates here.
One interested GM said Soto would receive a 15-year contract with a salary of $40 million, likely a record for Judge's position players (and possibly even Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander's combined record of $43.3 million). He said he believed he would seek, or at least suggested. It will be offered for a record-tying 13 years.
Toronto was one of three teams known to have acceded to Shohei Ohtani's $700 million request, along with the Giants and the championship-winning Dodgers, and in fact, perhaps to deal with the high funds, their It is credited as one of the teams that devised the much-delayed deal, which has a value of $437.4 million. Canadian taxes (obviously California may also apply).
The Jays and Giants tried to trade Soto before the Yankees acquired him in a 5-2 deal for the Padres' Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Kyle Higashioka and two others at last year's winter meetings. .
Two of the eight finalists are still shrouded in mystery. The Rays, who are considered favorites, have checked in, but due to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Milton to Tropicana Field, their priority will likely be finding temporary housing (the Yankees' home base in Tampa, as they will host in the spring). Legends Field in Clearwater (Phillies in Clearwater and Jays in Dunedin) could be candidates. And the Rays would likely need to secure a new permanent stadium contract to seriously consider spending as much as Soto's expected contract. It is thought that there is still at least one low-revenue team left in this derby, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's Tampa Bay.
Of course, it would be shocking if anyone other than a well-known big-market heavyweight wins this derby. But no one in the game would be surprised if it was the Jays who ended up reeling in the biggest fish.
