Juan Soto’s $765M Deal with Mets Breaks MLB Record

Juan Soto’s $765M Deal with Mets Breaks MLB Record.

Juan Soto has struck a groundbreaking deal with the New York Mets, signing a massive 15-year contract worth $765 million, as reported by a source close to the agreement to The Associated Press.

Juan Soto and the New York Mets have struck a groundbreaking deal worth $765 million over 15 years, according to a source who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity since the agreement hasn't been officially announced and is pending a successful physical.

This marks the 12th contract in Major League Baseball to exceed $325 million. The figures, sourced from player and management insiders, reflect all guaranteed earnings but exclude potential incentive bonuses, with no differentiation for deferred payments.

Soto's contract easily eclipses Shohei Ohtani's $700 million deal from last winter, making it the largest in sports history, and it comes without any deferred payments. He previously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from Washington in 2022, was traded to San Diego, and then to the New York Yankees before hitting free agency at just 26. Soto is now the most accomplished free agent at that age since Alex Rodriguez signed a record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas back in December 2000 when he was 25.

Ohtani's free agent deal is valued in different ways because it includes $680 million in deferred payments set for 2034-2043. For luxury tax purposes, it’s discounted at 4.33%, coming out to about $46.08 million a year. The players' association uses a 5% discount, which puts it around $43.7 million. When looking at MLB regular payrolls, it’s discounted by 10%, making it roughly $28.2 million.

In the first year of this deal, Ohtani snagged his first World Series title and third MVP award, hitting .310 with a league-leading 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and a 1.036 OPS. He also stole 59 bases, making him the first player to achieve a 50-50 season. He’s expected to be back on the mound in 2025 after recovering from elbow surgery.

Trout, on the other hand, won his third AL MVP award in the first year of his contract signed in March 2019. However, the 11-time All-Star has only played 266 games over the last four seasons due to various injuries, including a strained right calf, back spasms, a broken left hand, and a torn meniscus in his left knee. He’s hitting .281 over six seasons of the contract, with 138 home runs, 306 RBIs, and a .995 OPS.

Judge signed off on the deal after hitting free agency and was then named the Yankees' captain. In the first two years of his contract, he made his fifth and sixth All-Star appearances, boasting a .300 batting average with 95 home runs, 219 RBIs, 221 walks, and an impressive 1.104 OPS. He played a key role in leading the Yankees to the 2024 World Series, marking their first trip back since they clinched the title in 2009.

Machado inked a massive $300 million, 10-year deal with the Padres as a free agent in February 2019, which included an opt-out option after the 2023 season that would cost him $150 million. In March 2023, the Padres sweetened the pot with a new contract, bringing his total commitment to $470 million over 14 years. Over six seasons with the Padres, he has a .275 batting average, 167 home runs, and 536 RBIs, earning two All-Star nods that brought his career total to six. In the first two years of his latest contract, he’s hit .267 with 59 homers and 196 RBIs.

After being traded to the Mets from Cleveland in January 2021, Lindor agreed to a 10-year contract that kicked off in 2022, just before the 2021 season began. A four-time All-Star during his time in Cleveland, he hasn’t made the All-Star roster with the Mets yet, although he was the NL MVP runner-up to Ohtani in 2024. With New York, he has a .259 average, 110 home runs, 359 RBIs, and 86 stolen bases, including a .266 average, 90 homers, 296 RBIs, and 76 steals during his multiyear deal.

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Tatis was only 22 when he signed what was then the longest contract in baseball history back in February 2021. Unfortunately, he missed the entire 2022 season, first due to recovery from surgery on a broken left wrist from a motorcycle accident, and then because of an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Clostebol, a banned performance-enhancing substance. Tatis claimed he accidentally took a medication for ringworm that had the substance in it. Since he signed that big deal, he’s managed to hit .271 with 88 home runs, 224 RBIs, 65 stolen bases, and an .855 OPS.

On the other hand, Harper became a free agent at 26 and signed his contract in February 2019. He snagged his second NL MVP award in 2021 and has made the All-Star team twice with the Phillies, bringing his total to eight. Over six seasons with the Phillies, he’s batting .285 with 152 home runs, 455 RBIs, and a .924 OPS in 726 games. His 2023 season got off to a late start on May 2 due to Tommy John surgery, which also led the team to shift him from right field to first base.

Stanton's contract was a game-changer in baseball when he signed with the Marlins in November 2014, right after turning 25. It was the biggest and longest deal in the sport's history at that time, and he wasn't even set to hit free agency until after the 2016 season. In 2017, he had a breakout year, smashing 59 home runs and driving in 132 runs. However, he was traded to the Yankees, with the Marlins covering $30 million of the $295 million owed to him over the next decade.

Unfortunately, Stanton has faced a tough time with injuries, landing on the injured list eight times in six seasons and missing 294 games. Over the first ten years of his contract, the five-time All-Star has a batting average of .249, with 275 home runs, 704 RBIs, and an .850 OPS.

As for Seager, Texas wrapped up his contract just before the 2021-22 lockout, and he played a key role in leading the Rangers to their first World Series title in 2023. He snagged his second World Series MVP award after hitting three homers and racking up six RBIs against Arizona. In the first three years of his deal, he boasts a .280 batting average, 96 home runs, 253 RBIs, and an .875 OPS.

In December 2023, he signed the biggest and longest contract ever for a pitcher in major league history. Yamamoto, a right-handed pitcher who celebrated his 26th birthday in August, had a record of 7-2 and a 3.00 ERA over 18 starts. He missed time from June 15 to September 10 due to triceps tightness. In the postseason, he went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in four starts, including a win against the Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series.

Juan Soto's groundbreaking $765 million deal with the New York Mets marks a historic moment in Major League Baseball, solidifying his place among the sport’s elite players. His contract not only surpasses previous records, but it also showcases the growing financial power and long-term investment in young talent.

Soto’s remarkable achievements, along with his impressive age and potential, make this deal a win for both him and the Mets. As he embarks on this exciting new chapter, fans can look forward to witnessing his continued success and the lasting impact he will have on the game for years to come.