For the past month, the Juan Soto sweepstakes have dominated the MLB free agent market. It seems like the offseason did not truly begin until Soto decided on a team. Traded to the Yankees at the tail end of 2023, Soto had a career year with the Bronx Bombers. Yankee fans, almost sure Soto would re-sign, made posters and started chants in hopes the slugger would choose the Yankees the upcoming winter. Fast forward, after the Yankees lost the World Series in embarrassing fashion, the Soto sweepstakes began and both Hal Steinbrenner and Steve Cohen made it crystal clear Soto was their top priority. What followed was a bidding war to end all bidding wars. Five teams emerged as main contenders, The Mets and Yankees, as well as the Dodgers (Of course), Blue Jays, and Red Sox. Many insiders considered the Mets as favorites, however, after the signing, it was revealed that the Yankees were in the lead for most of the sweepstakes, until Cohen made a last-ditch effort and ended up securing Soto on a lucrative 15-year, 765 Million dollar deal, making the 26-year-old the highest paid athlete in American Sports history.
Why the Mets?
- Money: Obviously a huge factor in Soto picking the Mets was the absurd contract he was offered. His contract is the biggest in the history of the MLB and in North American Sports history, surpassing Ohtani’s 700 million he received last year. The Mets offered the highest bid, slightly beating out the Yankees by only 5 million dollars. But why? It is clear Soto wanted to be a Met- if he truly wanted to join the Yankees, he would have sacrificed the extra 5 million. Why did Soto not take the pay cut? While some say it is pure money, we believe it’s due to the futures of both New York teams.
- Better Future than the Yankees: The Yankees have a couple of solid young prospects including Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones, but the rest are very lackluster and not as well known. The Yankees’ management of these prospects has been known as very poor with some going up and down from the minors with little to no time to develop. Additionally, they have been too loyal to struggling vets such as Anthony Rizzo, not letting young guys such as Ben Rice get enough of a chance. The Mets on the other hand have given full opportunities to their prospects. Mark Vientos has blossomed into a star at third base, Francisco Alavarez has tons of potential and is the catcher of the future, and Luis Angel Acuna performed very well in his opportunity in the midst of a playoff push, all while Francisco Lindor was hurt. The Mets also have many promising prospects in their farm such as Brandon Sproat, Carson Benge, Ronny Mauricio, Drew Gilbert, Ryan Clifford, and Jett Williams. The young core of the Mets is growing and their potential is starting to show.
- Chemistry and Comradery: While it sounds corny, the Mets’ chemistry displayed in 2024 may have drawn Soto to Queens even further. All year the Mets had fun, from crediting Grimace for their push to .500, to singing Jose Iglesias’ hit single “OMG” in front of fans and after homers, to coming up with their own signature celebrations. The Mets developed a true bond expressed both on and off the field that many teams could not bother to replicate. The Yankees in a way can be seen as stale and bland in comparison. A corporate team more focused on preserving the honor of their historical roots and making sure their players’ hair is short enough compared to the “fun” vibes of the Mets, which allows their players to express themselves. While the Yankee’s history is second to none, times have changed, and being flashy and expressive is the new norm and something every player wants to participate in, while the honor of wearing pinstripes is taking a backseat (according to Met fans).
Can the Mets still add?
- Even after dishing out this huge contract, the Mets still have the ability to acquire more impact players from free agency. Steve Cohen has deep pockets and has proven he is willing to spend. In a sense, he is a fan with billions of dollars to give out and just wants to see his team win. The Mets payroll, including the newly added Soto, currently sits at around $250 million dollars, which is less than the unsuccessful 2023 season showing that they still have room to go after big names like Corbin Burnes or Max Fried. Pitching is crucial and there is no doubt Steve Cohen will try to add as much as possible to the pitching staff. Furthermore, an extension for superstar slugger and homegrown Met Pete Alonso is also not out of the question. The University of Florida graduate has become a fan favorite over the last 6 seasons, and has proven himself setting multiple club records. Pete suffered a down year in ‘24, however, his numbers in 2024 were still above average, and his postseason proved that he can still perform and come through when the team needs him.
The Future
- For the foreseeable future, the Mets should be a consistent playoff team with World Series aspirations. Although they were all in for 2023 and failed, with David Stearns at the helm and money flying off the books, the Mets are fully ready to be contenders year in and year out. 2023 did set the Mets back a year but it can be used as a learning experience for the organization, which is now looking to be a top 5 team in the league consistently. With young talent developing in the minor leagues, and 2 months left to sign free agents, look to see the Mets being what Steve Cohen has strived for them to be since he bought the team: True Championship Contenders.
