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Three Major MLB Insiders All Name The Same Favorite To Sign Juan Soto

#Juan Soto
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The race for highly-coveted MLB free agent Juan Soto has begun to take enough shape that three of the major reporters in the sport have each identified the same favorite to sign the slugging outfielder. Soto, 26 years old, is expected to get a 10-to-15-year deal in the neighborhood of $500-$600 million.

According to three of the most prominent MLB insiders — Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, and Jim Bowden — the New York Mets are the favorite to sign Juan Soto, which would be an especially notable result given that he just went to the World Series with the New York Yankees.

The crux of the logic behind picking the Mets as the likeliest destination for Soto largely hinges on the deep pockets of owner Steve Cohen, who is the richest owner in the sport and is therefore in the position to give Soto the biggest contract.

Playing in New York City for a passionate fanbase and an owner committed to winning elsewhere on the field likely helps the Mets’ pitch, as well. The Mets are also coming off an appearance in the NLCS in which they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

Thus far, Soto has met with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. There have also been reports he could meet with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Tampa Bay Rays in the coming weeks.

While appearing on the Foul Territory podcast, Rosenthal said Soto landing with the Mets is the “most likely scenario.”

“So, who’s the guy [in] the best position to give him that? In my view, it’s [Steven] Cohen. Now, it doesn’t mean it’s going to end up that way, but if I were a betting man, that’s the way I would bet.”

New York Post columnist and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman had a similar opinion to Rosenthal, also pegging the Mets as the favorites to land his All-Star services.

“Don’t hold me to this, what I’m going to predict today, and I change every other day, I think it’s going to be about the money. So the teams that are going to be able to win the bidding war are probably the teams with the biggest advantage. And I’m gonna say right here that the Mets, followed by the Blue Jays…would be my guess today.” Heyman reported.

During his 2024 season with the Yankees, Soto batted .288 with 41 home runs, 166 hits and 109 RBIs.

Soto was signed by the Washington Nationals as an international free agent in 2015. He made his MLB debut with the team in 2018 and remained in Washington until 2022 before spending a couple of seasons witht he San Diego Padres, who traded him to the Yankees in December 2023.