Just like last offseason, there is one giant fish in baseball's free agent pond. When it comes to players available to sign in free agency, Juan Soto is clearly on his level above the rest. What's not clear is which team he'll play for next year. He is clearly looking forward to this opportunity to choose his next destination. “We can accommodate all 30 teams,” he was quoted as saying.
He will no doubt weigh the pros and cons of each team in Major League Baseball, but we all know that there are certain teams that actually have a shot and certain teams that don't. I think there are. This tier list is my effort to evaluate the potential of all 30 teams. From the trivial to the powerful, you'll find it all here. Let's find out where Soto goes, shall we?
F Tier: We all know that's not happening
Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates
Ah, the usual suspects. If you're a fan of any of these teams and you still clicked on this article, I know you're interested in baseball as a whole, not just your favorite team, so I'm happy to help you. Please know something. But yeah, I think you and I both know that Juan Soto won't be wearing the uniform of these teams on Opening Day in 2025. These teams are usually very frugal, far out of contention, or a combination of both. It would be very cool to see Soto in a White Sox or Pirates uniform, just because it looks cool, but we all already know that he'll be taking those teams off the list soon. I think there are.
D Tier: Central district team
Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals
These teams aren't in a terrible situation. In some cases, you're actually in a pretty solid situation. However, these teams have a reputation for not spending a lot of money on free agents. Also, coincidentally, these teams play in the Central Division of their respective leagues. It's a coincidence, right? It's also possible the Twins could sign Carlos Correa, but that only happened after the two teams dropped the ball when signing him. The Tigers signed the largest free agent contract of any team in this group (Prince Fielder in 2012, 9 years, $212 million total), but the current ownership situation makes it difficult for such big money does not accurately indicate a willingness to spend. Therefore, exclude these teams as well.
C Tier: It's possible if you squint.
Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays
If this were a different time, not that long ago, the Red Sox and Cubs would probably appear higher on this list. Rather, both of these clubs seem to have settled into the pack. Again, they're not in a terrible situation, and that could definitely happen if they decide to open up the checkbook. Still, it's hard to imagine them making this much progress this offseason.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Nationals are all very interesting and very dark horses in this race. The reason the Nationals are also so high is because this is where the reunion is likely. With the Nationals back in a decent position, it's obvious they'll decide to make a splash, including the crown jewel of free agency. If Washington wants to compete right away, bringing Soto back would certainly help.
The only reason the Rays are up this far is They at least show some interest in spending money In the past, he has spent large sums of money to extend his contract. Are they likely to spend big bucks here? Probably not! Would it be very interesting to see Juan Soto go to the Rays? Absolutely!
Tier B: Something strange happened.
Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers
All of these are either championship favorites or teams that have invested money in the past. The Braves have no intention of bringing Ronald Acuña Jr. back before Opening Day, nor are they known to be in contention for him, but it would be great to see him back at some point along with Juan Soto. Isn't it? The Phillies are reeling from the NLDS withdrawal, but a good way to respond would be for owner John Middleton to open up his wallet and let Dave Dombrowski reunite Bryce Harper and Juan Soto. The Rangers are used to spending big money and will open their wallets if they really want him.
The Astros aren't afraid to open their wallets either, but they may be more focused on keeping their homegrown players (like Alex Bregman) than trying to make it big. It's time for the Orioles to make a splash, a real show of intent when it comes to preserving this opportunity, and if they want to stay ahead of their AL East rivals, this is their chance. It will be. That's a great method. The Padres could be another interesting reunion spot, but admittedly, they had a chance to lock him up for an extension and were unable to do so, so this seems like a distant prospect. It will be more difficult now since Soto is on the open market.
A Tier: Teams that acquired Ohtani and teams that were likely to acquire him
Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays
At this point, you can't ignore the Dodgers when it comes to spending money. This is a team that spent $1 billion in one offseason and just vindicated itself with a World Series trophy. That said, the Dodgers may have their limits if they decide to acquire Soto, as it would be a staggering amount of money for just a handful of players. Additionally, the Dodgers may want to preserve any remaining flexibility for whatever they want to pursue in the future, so Soto's price this time could end up being too high for L.A. There could be a situation.
That being said, the Blue Jays are in a similar position as the teams in the next tier. They fell just short in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes last offseason and didn't spend a lot of money that offseason. After they missed Ohtani. Assuming they still continue to spend that money (and assuming the reports that they did do so are true). offer a similar amount (That's what the Dodgers did for Ohtani.) Then they could decide to go after another big fish in free agency. If the Blue Jays can convince Soto to become the face of Team Canada, it could make up for the losses they lost in terms of baseball as a whole last offseason.
SF Tier: Please tell me one thing?
san francisco giants
The San Francisco Giants are also in a unique position. Because if they choose to pursue Juan Soto, they're going to do everything they can to get him, and maybe now is the time for them to finally get it done off the bat. and move your trade to the finish line. So many times in recent years they've swung for the fences to acquire top free agents, either striking out, getting hit to the warning line, or actually hitting what looked like a home run, only to be robbed. It was either he was killed or he was killed. Via Replay Review. The Giants need a win in free agency, and perhaps the combination of Buster Posey as president and Zach Minassian as general manager will finally get San Francisco that big man they've been searching for for years. That might be enough.
S Tier: New York, New York
New York Mets, New York Yankees
Juan Soto will very likely continue to play baseball primarily in New York City. No one knows at this point whether it's in the Bronx or Queens. Both of these teams have owners who are willing to spend big bucks if the situation calls for it. Stephen Cohen is the richest owner in baseball, and while Hal may not be George, he is still Steinbrenner. These two teams will be in the midst of a fierce battle next season. Both of these teams could easily incorporate Soto into their respective lineups, and both teams have already made it abundantly clear that they really want Soto on their team.
The only real question now is which team will appeal to Soto more. Soto is already familiar with the organization and has gotten a taste of what it's like to be a Yankees star. There's something to be said for having a history and a winning culture. The Yankees haven't achieved their annual ultimate goal of winning the World Series since 2009, but they typically intend to make it in any given year. Additionally, Soto has already played for three teams in seven seasons. If he wants consistency, not just this year, but for the foreseeable future, that's the obvious choice.
But it's clear the Mets are willing to do whatever it takes to get him. It's very easy to see Cohen outbidding those who decide to enter the spending race with him, and they'll have plenty of money to do so. After payroll, that's hundreds of millions of dollars. Cohen would also be willing to spend a lot of money. The last two World Series champions essentially spent it trying to win a World Series title. Combine that with the fact that the Mets have had an incredible run not just in the postseason but into the National League, and suddenly you have a bunch of brave guys who love dropping some of that money on big-time players for free. You'll get a millionaire's recipe. Agency.
If Cohen and the Mets' ambitions align with Juan Soto's, there's a good chance we'll see Soto across town in the Bronx wearing royal blue pinstripes instead of navy blue pinstripes. It will be there. Either way, it seems certain that Juan Soto will remain in New York. For others, it's still fun to dream, right?
