The sports world was left stunned when the Juan Soto decided to leave the New York Yankees to sign with the New York Mets.
This was a significant decision by Soto that was otherwise unfathomable just a few short years ago as the slugger signed the largest contract in the history of professional sports. But while the Mets offered $765 million guaranteed, the Yankees also reportedly offered $760 million.
While a difference of $5 million would change lives for most people, this is effectively the same contract with figures that large. So why would Soto then decide to jump ship?
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan during an appearance on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, this was perhaps an evaluation on the future trajectories of the franchises.
"I think Juan Soto looked at the New York Mets' future … and believed that the Mets have a better future than Yankees."@JeffPassan tells @notthefakeSVP on why Soto chose the Mets over the Yankees despite only a $5M difference 👀 pic.twitter.com/lL4bXmARGD
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 9, 2024
“The Mets weren’t that much at a different place than the New York Yankees were. The Yankees had a $760 million, only $5 million less spread out over 16 years, so it wasn’t a huge demonstrable difference. At the end, I think Juan Soto looked at the New York Mets future and looked at the New York Yankees future and believed that the Mets have a better future than the Yankees.”
Let that sink in for a second.
The Mets, long considered the LOL Mets for their consistent misfortune, ushered in a changing of the guard.
Here is more context from Passan:
“The Yankees have been the most successful franchise in North American sports history. They have 27 championships. They New York Mets have been the New York Mets. And so to see the transformation that Steve Cohen has helped make with this franchise over the last four years after he bought it, to turn them from laughing stock to the team that Juan Soto wants to play with because he believes that they are going to have a brighter future, speaks volumes about what he has been able to do since he has bought the team. This, I think, is just the beginning. They are going to spend more money. They are going to continue to have payrolls like this.”
The Mets still have more decisions to make this offseason, including whether or not they will re-sign first baseman Pete Alonso and starting pitcher Sean Manaea.
But based on Passan’s characterization of Soto’s assessment, it seems very likely that this team isn’t done spending with the hopes of creating a threat and juggernaut in the National League.
