Mets' pursuit of Juan Soto begins; richest owner in baseball plans to meet with superstar agent: report

The Juan Soto sweepstakes is underway.

Soto is simply a escaped cause aft putting up one of the champion seasons of his career.

He besides conscionable turned 26 connected the archetypal time of the World Series, which adds to his intrigue arsenic possibly the astir coveted escaped cause of each time.

There's nary question helium volition get large bucks, and being represented by Scott Boras volition assistance his origin this offseason.

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Juan Soto of the New York Yankees celebrates aft hitting a location tally successful the 10th inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game 5 of the American League Championship Series astatine Progressive Field Oct. 19, 2024, successful Cleveland.  (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The New York Mets whitethorn beryllium the cleanable match.

The Mets would ne'er person been successful the treatment 5 years ago. But aft the Wilpon household sold the squad to Steve Cohen, the Mets are present among the favorites to onshore Soto.

Cohen is scheduled to conscionable with Boras successful confederate California this week, according to the New York Post.

Cohen's nett worthy is northbound of $21 billion, making him, by far, the richest proprietor successful baseball. His archetypal splash arsenic an proprietor was acquiring Francisco Lindor successful a commercialized and signing him to a 10-year, $341 cardinal deal. The Mets had the highest payroll successful the majors past season.

After the World Series, Soto said helium is unfastened to each 30 teams. 

"I consciousness similar each squad has the aforesaid opportunities erstwhile I spell into escaped agency. I don't privation to accidental anyone has an vantage because, astatine the extremity of the day, we're gonna look astatine what they person and however overmuch they privation me," Soto said.

By the adjacent morning, 11 teams had reached retired to his camp, according to reports.

Juan Soto of the New York Yankees celebrates aft beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 successful 10 innings to triumph Game 5 of the American League Championship Series astatine Progressive Field Oct. 19, 2024, successful Cleveland. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

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If you're looking for a baseline, Soto erstwhile turned down a 15-year, $440 cardinal woody portion helium was with the Washington Nationals.

The All-Star outfielder had possibly his champion play hitting successful beforehand of Aaron Judge with the New York Yankees. Soto belted a career-high 41 homers, his 109 RBIs were 1 shy of his vocation precocious and his .989 OPS was the highest helium has posted successful a non-shortened season. 

He besides deed .327/.469/.633 successful the postseason and deed the ALCS-winning location run.

Soto is simply a four-time All-Star whose 769 walks earlier turning 26 are, by far, the astir successful MLB history. Among players who played 500-plus games earlier turning 26, Soto's .953 OPS is 14th all-time, and everyone up of him, speech from Mike Trout, who is inactive active, is simply a Hall of Famer.

Soto volition undoubtedly acceptable the grounds for the largest declaration ever fixed to a presumption player. That fig belongs to Trout astatine $426.5 million.

The New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates aft hitting a location tally against the Cleveland Guardians during the 3rd inning of Game 1 of the ALCS Oct. 14, 2024, successful New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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The lone questions are who volition motion him, what volition his mean yearly worth beryllium (Judge's $40 cardinal is the presumption subordinate record) and volition helium bushed Shohei Ohtani's $700 cardinal for wide value.

It shouldn't astonishment anyone if Cohen does immoderate it takes to onshore Soto.

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