The suspense is now over. Juan Soto, the biggest free agent this MLB offseason, has signed with the New York Mets on a 15-year, $765 million deal, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The Yankees came in a close second, offering $760 million over 16 years, Heyman reports.
The contract is not just the largest in baseball history, but also the largest in all of sports.
Inside the Deal
Currently 26 years old, the contract is slated to end when Soto is 41 years old. In other words, it will carry into the end of his career.
The average annual salary of $51 million is also a bump from Soto’s previous $31 million salary with the Yankees in 2024.
It is also the longest contract in MLB history. The previous record was held by Soto’s former teammate, Fernando Tatis Jr., who signed a 14-year extension with the San Diego Padres in 2021.
Andy Martino of SNY reports that the deal includes an opt-out five years into the contract.
Why Juan Soto Got His Payday
Soto is widely regarded as a generational talent — at least on offense.
He’s able to hit for average and power, not only driving in runs but also using his impeccable plate discipline to generate walks.
In his eight-year MLB career, Soto boasts a .285 batting average, 201 home runs, and 592 runs batted in, along with a .953 OPS and a .532 slugging percentage.
Soto also comes off a career year with the Yankees, with a .288 BA, 41 HR, and 109 RBI — with a .989 OPS and .569 slugging percentage. He hit over .300 for most of the season.
Soto is also clutch in the playoffs — something demonstrated early on with the Washington Nationals, helping them win their first World Series in 2019.
With the Nationals facing elimination, Soto hit a go-ahead home run off the Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander in Game 6. Washington lived to see another day — and went on to win in Game 7.
Soto hit .327 in this past postseason with the Yankees, including 4 HR — that included an epic grand slam in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians.
Soto is a four-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner. He came in second in the National League Rookie of the Year vote in 2018 and second in the 2021 National League MVP vote.
At the age of 20, he played a key role in the Washington Nationals winning their first World Series.
He also won the National League batting title in the shortened 2020 season, with a .351 batting average.
Boras Legacy: An MLB Salary Cap
Soto’s record deal, secured by his agent Scott Boras, is likely to also have a trickle-down effect on other players, raising the value of future free agents. The current MLB collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, 2026.
An impasse over a salary cap could lead to a work stoppage. The last time MLB had a strike was in 1994, which resulted in the cancellation of that year’s World Series.
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