Juan Soto rumors: Yankees and Mets are top candidates for 2025 FA; contract floor expected at $500 million | News, results, highlights, stats and rumors
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If the New York Yankees want to keep Juan Soto beyond 2024, they will face competition from another team in their city.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Yankees and New York Mets are considered the biggest potential suitors for Soto as a free agent, and the lower limit of his contract is said to be $500 million.
The price puts few teams in the conversation, but Passan noted that clubs in major markets like the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are considered “outsiders” to make a real push for Soto.
It’s an open secret that the Mets have their eye on Soto. Mets players like Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor have spoken publicly about what it would mean for the team to sign him.
“As for the outfielder from our district, he’s had a fantastic year and I hope he goes out there and breaks all the records as far as pay goes. If he’s with us, that would be fantastic. He’s going to help us a lot,” Lindor told Passan.
Jon Heyman of the MLB Network recently said on MLB Central (starts at 1:45) that people around the league expect the Mets to make Soto the biggest contract offer.
Yankees fans made it clear they want the four-time All-Star to continue playing in the Bronx when they chanted, “Please stay, Soto” during Sunday’s win over the Colorado Rockies.
Soto then joked that fans need to talk to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
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Juan Soto was asked about the “Please stay, Soto” chants:
“I don’t know. You have to talk to Cashman” 😂 pic.twitter.com/j9EN55osaw
The decision actually does not lie with Cashman, but with Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner. He has not spent as aggressively as his father, which is a criticism directed at him over the years.
The Yankees already have $202.4 million in salary obligations for next season, including $186.1 million for just seven players. The Mets only have $141.8 million in salary obligations on their books for 2025.
Mets owner Steve Cohen hasn’t hesitated to spend money when he sees a chance to win. Even though the strategy didn’t pay off in 2023, it allowed the Mets to reorganize their balance sheet and add more talent to their farm system.
Combine that with the chance Cohen has to potentially steal a superstar from the Yankees, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he spent a fortune on Soto.
Soto, who turns 26 on October 25, is arguably having the best season of his career in 2024. He has a batting average of .296/.427/.600 with 37 home runs in 588 at-bats in 127 games.
