The race to sign superstar MLB free agent Juan Soto is moving faster than previously reported.
Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media reports that Soto has actually received offers from five teams he met this month. The offers reportedly came in late last week, according to an unnamed source Miller spoke with.
Earlier reports indicated that offers would start coming in this week or later, with the process culminating around MLB’s Winter Meetings, scheduled for December 8 to 12.
Which Teams Are Contenders for Soto?
The New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Toronto Blue Jays have all made offers to Soto, according to Miller.
If accurate, this would mean other teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, aren’t in the mix for Soto.
So the race for Soto is down to five — but only two, maybe three, teams probably have realistic shots at landing the right fielder.
What’s Being Offered?
Details on what terms have been offered to Soto have yet to emerge. Those could come out in the coming days.
Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports the first round of offers to Soto are likely to be “preliminary” with the process heating up after Thanksgiving.
That is perhaps when the bidding war for Soto envisioned by agent Scott Boras will truly begin.
Who’s Got the Edge?
The consensus among MLB executives is that the Mets are the “clear-cut favorite” to land Soto, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Nightengale reports that MLB front offices “don’t believe there’s a soul who will outbid” Mets owner Steve Cohen, whose net worth is over $20 billion.
Other knowledgeable sources agree. Earlier this month, Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay said he was informed that Cohen is willing to go $50 million above any other offer for Soto.
Cohen has a lot of money to play with — and the gamble on Soto could pay off.
But Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has changed his tune on the team’s payroll, stating that the team has “the ability to sign any player” it wants. The demands of the team’s fan base and the preferences of team captain Aaron Judge are clearly at play.
Soto Is Having Fun
In the meantime, Soto is “enjoying” the process, Miller reports. Just today, he posted a promotional video to his 1-million-plus Instagram audience meant to look like a baseball contract signing announcement. But it wasn’t the announcement fans expected.
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