Juan Soto returns to NL East, signs record-breaking deal with Mets
New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball World Series, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
It was a good Sunday for Philadelphia sports fans until it was not.
Juan Soto has agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the largest contract in sports history. The deal includes no deferred money, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passon, and it includes a $75 million signing bonus, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and FOX. It also has an opt-out after the fifth season.
The deal includes an average annual value of $51 million. Per game, Soto will make $314,814.82. If he has four at-bats every game, he will make roughly $78,703.70 per at-bat. Soto will also make $139,726.03 every day and $5,902.78 an hour for the next 15 years. Not bad.
The Yankees’ final offer to Soto was 16 years and $760 million, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. That is a $47.5 million AAV, compared to the $51 million from Soto.
The Phillies were reportedly in on the Soto sweepstakes, but never met with him or offered him a deal.
The Phils never really had a shot, anyway, and Soto will return to the National League East.
The Mets, as we all know, are the team that eliminated the Phillies in the 2024 NLDS. Soto joins Francisco Lindor, Kodai Senga, Brandon Nimmo, Mark Vientos, and Grimace. And who knows, maybe the Mets will still be able to resign Pete Alonso.
Mets owner Steve Cohen said he was going to out-bid anyone. He did.
This is not good. At all.
Soto’s first game as a Met at Citizens Bank Park comes on Friday, June 20.
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Benjamin Goldstein
Benjamin has been covering Philly Sports for Philly Sports Reports since 2017. He is a podcaster, writer, and founder of Philly Sports Reports. Benjamin is also an intern at the WBCB Sports Network on 1490AM. Through Philly Sports Reports, Benjamin has gotten the opportunity to meet Phillies owner John Middleton in his suite and be honored as the Philadelphia sports fan of the week for KYW News Radio. He hopes to be reporting on Philly sports as a full-time job in the future.
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