Outfielder Juan Soto has been the subject of much speculation since free agency began.
Unexpected teams had reportedly reached out to Soto’s representatives to get a sense of his contract demands. Five teams were reported to have made offers to Soto before Thanksgiving. The favorite for his services seemed to change day to day.
A decision could be coming soon. Ken Rosenthal, Brendan Kuty and Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that not only has the bidding reached $600M but that the process of eliminating teams from consideration has begun. Likewise, Jon Heyman of the New York Post had reported that Soto is not interested in a short-term deal at a high average annual value.
Soto could be worth every penny of his next contract. The 26-year-old has an impressive resume and could be a future Hall of Famer. A four-time All-Star, Soto has produced a .285/.421/.532 batting line in his 4088 plate appearances, hitting 201 homers and 179 doubles. He is coming off one of his best seasons, hitting a career high 41 homers while finishing third in the AL MVP vote.
Adding Soto will also cause a ripple effect down the lineup. His on-base skills make him an ideal option to bat second; he leads all active players in on-base percentage and has finished no worse than fourth in walks in the past five years. Soto’s ability to hit for power makes him a weapon in the third spot where he has proven to be a consistent run producer. Whichever team he signs with will significantly improve their chances at a championship.
