The offseason's biggest free agent is closing in on a decision. And while Juan Soto's next team remains unknown, he can likely expect to sign a contract whose dollar amount begins with a '7'.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, a 15-year, $700 million contract offer to Soto "is in the ballpark" for the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays — but not the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I think that's where we are now," Heyman told Bleacher Report on Friday. "I think he's going to set a record unless, by chance, the Dodgers are probably the longshot in this. Unless by chance he says 'I'm not so interested in an extra $30, $40, $50, $60 million, it's not a big deal to me, I want to go to the best team, (the Dodgers) are still in it as far as I know."
The implication: Soto still hasn't eliminated any of the five teams who met with him, along with his agent, Scott Boras, in Southern California in November. All five have already offered Soto a contract.
The demand for Soto is understandable. At 26 years old, he's younger than most free agents, and has a better resume than perhaps any free agent ever. He's made four All-Star teams, won a World Series ring, and hit 201 home runs across seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees.
Soto hit 41 homers, scored an American League-leading 128 runs, drove in 109, and reached base at a .419 clip batting ahead of MVP Aaron Judge with the New York Yankees in 2024.
Soto finished third in MVP voting behind only Judge and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and was instrumental in leading the Yankees back to the World Series for the first time since 2009.
Shohei Ohtani set a record a year ago by signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dec. 2023, but the deferred money in the deal brought its present-day value to $437,830,563 in total, according to calculations by the MLB Players Association. It remains to be seen
The number of teams willing to go to the wire bidding on Soto has exceeded that of Ohtani. Each team that met in person with Soto reportedly sent a representative from ownership and the its baseball operations department (a president of baseball operations and/or a general manager), as well as a manager.
With Soto commanding such a large contract, many free agents were effectively waiting for him to sign before negotiating in earnest with the runner-up teams. The four finalists that did not sign Soto figure to have plenty of money to spend, and the desire to add a corner outfielder.
With the Winter Meetings beginning Sunday in Dallas, the offseason's top free agent is primed to leave the board.
