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Juan Soto opens up about leaving Yankees for Mets in free agency
Many members of the MLB community believe that All-Star outfielder Juan Soto left the New York Yankees to sign with the New York Mets this offseason mostly because Mets owner Steve Cohen outbid Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner.
During an interview with NBC's "Today" show that aired on Monday morning, Soto opened up about why he'll be playing home games in Queens rather than in the Bronx for the foreseeable future.
"I mean, they tried the hardest they can but things happen, you know? You gotta go through a lotta things," Soto said about his contract talks with the Yankees, as shared by Andrew Greif of NBC News. "It’s a whole group, family decision that we made. And I think that was the best one, you know? They really tried but we couldn’t get it done."
Steinbrenner reportedly offered Soto $760M over 16 years, but the slugger ultimately put pen to paper on a 15-year, $765M contract that could exceed $800M total to join the Mets. That agreement included a $75M signing bonus, an opt-out after five years, no deferred money, a suite for the Soto family at Citi Field and other "family services" from the club. Steinbrenner allegedly wasn't willing to throw in a suite because players such as captains Aaron Judge and Derek Jeter have had to pay for their suites in the past.
Additionally, it was reported in December that "Soto’s immediate family, specifically his mother Belkis Pacheco, appeared to have a soft spot for Cohen and his wife, Alex." In February, Cohen acknowledged that he felt "the family thing definitely helped" the Mets win the Soto sweepstakes.
"I can’t complain about Yankee fans," Soto added during the "Today" segment. "They were amazing, day in, day out, the whole season last year. And I really appreciate not only Yankees fans but the Dominican community. They were showing off and I was really happy for that."
Per Bridget Hyland of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Soto insisted that Judge is his "favorite hitter so far." Judge earning American League Most Valuable Player honors for the second time en route to guiding the 2024 Yankees to a World Series berth wasn't enough to convince Soto to leave some money on the table to stay with the Bronx Bombers. It sounds like the 26-year-old has no regrets about his free-agency decision ahead of Opening Day.
More must-reads:
- Yankees have decided who will hit behind Aaron Judge this season
- What rival scouts think of Mets' Brett Baty ahead of make-or-break season
- The '2024 MLB Silver Sluggers' quiz
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Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg dies after battle with cancer
Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg lost his battle with cancer on Monday. He was 65. A 20th-round selection by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 MLB Draft, Sandberg quickly moved through the Phillies system despite his humble beginnings. He made his major league debut at the end of the 1981 season, getting six plate appearances in 13 games, his only hit coming off of a bat he borrowed from shortstop Larry Bowa. Drafted as a shortstop, the Phillies hoped that Sandberg would be the heir apparent for Bowa. However, that 13-game stint convinced the Phillies that he was not the answer. Although Sandberg had played at second and third as well in the minors, he was blocked at those positions by Manny Trillo and Mike Schmidt respectively. Bowa and Sandberg were traded to the Cubs during the 1981-82 offseason, with shortstop Ivan DeJesus heading to Philadelphia. Sandberg, now a second baseman, had a solid first two seasons in Chicago before exploding into stardom in 1984. He posted a .314/.367/.520 batting line in his 700 plate appearances, hitting 19 homers and 36 doubles while stealing 32 bases as he led the Cubs to their first postseason berth since 1945. Sandberg made his first All-Star Game, was named the NL MVP, won a Silver Slugger and his second Gold Glove award. A perennial All-Star, Sandberg possessed a combination of power and speed at second base that was rare for his era. He was a 10-time All-Star, winning nine Gold Gloves and seven Silver Sluggers. Sandberg posted a lifetime .285/.344/.452 batting line in his 9282 plate appearances, hitting 282 homers and 403 doubles while stealing 344 bases. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame 2005 in his third year on the ballot. After a decade away from the game, Sandberg returned as a minor league manager in the Cubs system in 2007, moving up the ladder to Triple-A in 2009. After Cubs manager Mike Quade was fired, and Sandberg was passed over for the opening, he joined the Phillies organization in 2011. After three years in the Phillies organization, he became the interim manager in 2013, and was eventually hired full-time at the end of the season. Sandberg lasted just over two years in total as the Phillies manager, resigning after 74 games in 2015 as the losses piled up. He remained in the game as a goodwill ambassador for the Cubs before announcing that he had prostate cancer in 2024. Although his cancer had gone into remission, it returned in December, spreading to other organs before Sandberg ultimately lost his battle. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Sandberg during this difficult time.
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
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WNBA Icon Rebecca Lobo Makes Demand Involving Indiana Fever Star
All eyes were on College Park Center for Monday night’s primetime matchup between the Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty. The stars came out to support the Wings in their home matchup against the defending champs. This included Paige Bueckers’ rumored girlfriend, Azzi Fudd, who had a special message for the Dallas rookie during the game. Rebecca Lobo's Intriguing WNBA Proposal WNBA legend Rebecca Lobo was also watching the matchup intently. What caught the attention of the Hall of Fame center was the incredible performance of Wings star Arike Ogunbowale. Ogunbowale made history on Monday after a first-half performance that was literally for the books. The four-time All-Star joined Caitlin Clark as the only two players in the last 20 years to record at least 10 points and 10 assists in a single half. Ogunbowale had 15 and 10 at the break, leading Dallas to a 63-36 lead over the Liberty. Ogunbowale’s eye-catching performance drew an immediate reaction from Lobo during the game. According to the 51-year-old, she would like to see Ogunbowale go toe-to-toe against Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell. “Give us a 1-on-1 game between Arike Ogunbowale and Kelsey Mitchell during next year’s All Star Weekend,” Lobo posted on X. Ogunbowale finished the game with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, a rebound, 14 assists, one steal and two triples in 32 minutes of action. The Liberty mounted an impressive comeback attempt, but the Wings held on for a 92-82 victory. Kelsey Mitchell Has Been Tearing It Up for the Fever Much like Ogunbowale did on Monday night, Mitchell also led the charge for the Fever in their last game. The three-time All-Star went off in Sunday’s 93-78 victory against their biggest rivals, the Chicago Sky, at United Center. Mitchell dropped 35 points on the Sky on 12-of-19 from the field, along with two rebounds, six assists, three steals and seven triples. With Caitlin Clark missing time due to a lingering groin injury, Mitchell has stepped it up for the Fever, firmly establishing herself as one of the top guards in the WNBA today. Lobo clearly sees Mitchell as one of the best one-on-one players in the league, and she’s now demanding a showdown against Ogunbowale. To be clear, there is currently no one-on-one competition in the WNBA All-Star weekend. This could be something the league considers for next year’s festivities, though, and a Mitchell-Ogunbowale clash would not be a bad idea at all.
Chicago Blackhawks at Risk of Losing First Round Pick as Other Teams Pitch Big-Money Offers
Mason West is a talented prospect of the future for the Chicago Blackhawks, but it appears he may look to leave hockey for big opportunities in football. The Chicago Blackhawks landed Anton Frondell with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but it was perhaps their second first-round pick that drew the most intrigue, as they drafted centre Mason West out of the USHL. That pick was intriguing for many reasons, with the 6-foot-6 centre having potential with his talent and his physicality, but now, the team may be in danger of losing the talented 17-year old. According to a report from The Athletic, the No. 29 overall pick has been drawing interest from several NCAA programs to join their team as a football player. Standing at 6-foot-6, the Minnesota native is a star in both hockey and football, tallying 49 points in 31 games at the high school level while also being a star Quarterback, and after putting up 9 points in 10 USHL games with the Fargo Force, the future is bright for him in both sports. Ultimately, at 17-years of age, the future is very bright whichever way West ends up going, but given that the Blackhawks used a first-round pick on him in this past seasons draft, they're clearly confident that they can not only keep him in hockey, but make a good NHLer out of him moving forward.
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