Word just broke earlier per Jeff Passan that the New York Mets will be the new home for 2024 prize free agent Juan Soto, going from the crosstown Yankees to the 7 train to Queens on a massive 15 year/$765 million dollar deal with NO deferrals, making him the first 50+ million dollar a year player (it works out to 51 mil a year). With that kind of deal, Uncle Stevie clearly wants to dominate the back pages after losing in the NLCS to the eventual champions in the Los Angeles Dodgers. Personally I’m back and forth with this deal, as are many baseball fans both for and against the Mets. Here’s a few thoughts both ways, let’s go.
Reason It’ll Work – It’s clearly showing that Steve Cohen is in this to show that the team wants to build on last year. The 2024 Mets season was part about getting hot at the right time, becoming a strange 314 million dollar Cinderella underdog team. With this deal he’s bringing one of the biggest left handed bats in the game to Queens, protected in the lineup by runner up MVP & switch hitter Francisco Lindor. Soto’s OBP was .419 last year, a full 100 points higher than the Mets .319. Much to be excited about next year.
Reason It WON’T Work – He’s not protected by Right Handed bat Aaron Judge. Having the protection of the Yankee lineup and Aaron Judge was huge, and you have to wonder if his numbers will slide next season without him.
Reason It’ll Work – The Mets I don’t believe are done. Soto going to Queens can and will entice other free agents to come to the Mets, and Cohen will probably be willing to continue to spend in the coming years. Bregman is available this year, possibly Vladimir Guerrero Jr next season, the options can feed for a while.
Reason It WON’T Work – Citi Field is a pitcher’s park. Soto benefited from Yankee Stadium’s short 318 foot right field porch, while Citi Field is 330 feet down the line. That could hurt his homer numbers some.
Reason It’ll Work – He’s JUST coming into his prime. Soto’s personality is built for NY and at just 26 years old he’s locked down at the perfect time.
Reason It WON’T Work – It takes a village. Depending on the rest of the lineup, this could become a Mike Trout in Anaheim situation, burning your best years on a mid level team. If so this will end up one of the biggest fails in free agent history. It all depends on Steve Cohen. A small spinoff from the last one, but so much of the Mets competitiveness is Cohen opening up that wallet in a way few owners ever do. What if he suddenly decides to get frugal? What will that do for this deal?
And One More Reason It WON’T Work – Soto was a darling in the Bronx and beloved, but what if his numbers don’t live up to the contract? Mets fans are certainly more mellow than Yankee fans, but this is still New York City. How will he react if Mets fans start booing him and the back pages start ripping on his struggles? This could change his psyche in more ways than one.
So what do YOU think? Will this deal pay dividends for the Mets and how many (not will they) World Series will they need to justify this deal? Lemme know. As always, thanks and stay awesome.
About the author – Scott Churchson has been an actor in every way for the past 13 years, from BG to stand in to stunts and principal, a sports writer for the past 4 and is one of the people that created Stream Punk Entertainment. He’s married to a veterinarian, has a cat with three working legs and is just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.