Juan Soto predicted to leave Yankees for Mets.
Juan Soto is the top free agent available and one prediction has him leaving the New York Yankees.
Soto is expected to make his decision soon, and it will come down to the Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays. In The Athletic’s Jim Bowden’s latest contract prediction article, he has the Mets landing Soto in a massive 15-year $622 million.
“I still believe the Mets will end up offering Soto the most money and the most years. What I don’t know is whether the Yankees will come close to matching them,” Bowden wrote. “With Soto going through the process of eliminating teams from the pool that’s bid on him and likely nearing a decision. The Mets remain a real possibility. A career .421 OBP player, Soto has smacked 76 home runs over the past two years and driven in 109 RBIs each season.
“He had a 178 OPS+ and was worth 7.9 WAR in his standout season in New York. He shined on the biggest stage and in the biggest moments,” Bowden added. “Including in the ALCS with his Game 5, 10th-inning homer that propelled the Yankees to the World Series. He has one of the best hit tools the game has ever seen and he should age well. He’ll be the highest-paid player in baseball history in terms of net present value when he signs his next contract. Now, the entire baseball world waits for his decision.”
Soto signing with the Mets would be massive for New York. The 15-year $622 million deal also seems likely, although there has been some talk he could reach $700 million.
Soto Nearing Decision
The decision of Soto’s future is nearly here.
Baseball fans have been waiting for where Soto will sign and play in 2025 and going forward. According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, Soto is expected to make a decision before the Winter Meetings start on December 9.
“The expectation is that there will be meetings over the weekend and it’s that point Juan Soto will decide where he’s going to go,” Passan said. “We will know at latest by the time the Winter Meetings in Dallas start.”
Fellow MLB insider Alden Gonzalez of ESPN also reported that a decision from Soto is nearly here.
“The industry’s agents and executives will descend upon Dallas this Sunday,” Gonzalez wrote. “Soto is widely expected to sign a record-breaking contract before they depart the following Thursday and could do so before they even arrive, an industry source told ESPN on Tuesday.”
Soto is a four-time All-Star.
Yankees Lose Pitcher to Mets
The Yankees already saw pitcher Clay Holmes leave the Bronx for the Mets, and could also see Soto follow suit.
Holmes signed a three-year $38 million deal with the Mets and the plan is for the former Yankees closer to become a starter.
“The Mets and right-hander Clay Holmes have agreed to a three-year contract worth $38 million, league sources confirmed to The Athletic,” The Athletic’s Will Sammon wrote. “The New York Post first reported the deal, which includes an opt-out after the second year. The Mets plan to use Holmes, the former New York Yankees closer, as a starting pitcher.”
Holmes went 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 67 games with the Yankees last season. He hasn’t started a game since 2018 in his rookie year in the MLB with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
