Some early rumors in the Juan Soto sweepstakes painted Steve Cohen potentially willing to outbid the field by $50 million to land the star slugger.
Well, turns out he went $45 million higher — and it may make Soto an $800 million man.
Soto’s historic 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets can reach $805 million if the Mets void his opt-out clause after his fifth season with the team.
The Mets, however, can lock him in for another 10 years by upping his average annual salary (AAV) from $51 million to $55 million after the 2029 season.
It’s hard to project five years out, but it’s fair to assume based on Soto’s current trajectory that he will be in a position to opt out in five years when he will be 31.
While it may be fair to wonder if a 31-year-old Soto — who may become a full-time DH later in his career — could land a $10-year, $510 million free-agent deal, the Mets may not want to take that chance.
Cohen has shown that money is no object, and Soto will still likely have several more peak years left before the contract becomes…
Read the full article here