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Juan Soto Signs With The New York Mets

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Casey Fahrer | Last updated Dec 8, 2024 10:21 PM ET

Juan Soto has finally made his free-agent decision.

The superstar outfielder agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets on Sunday, according to Jon Heyman. He will become the highest-paid player in the league and will join a Mets team that reached the NLCS last season.

Soto produced a career-high 41 home runs and 7.9 wins above replacement, one spot ahead of Judge in the Yankees’ lineup in 2024. The outfielder slashed .288/.419/.569 while also driving in 109 runs and leading the AL with 128 runs scored. He was an All-Star, as well as a Silver Slugger winner, and he finished third in the American League MVP voting.

Soto was also one of the Yankees’ best players in October. He hit four home runs and drove in nine runs while having a 1.101 OPS. The slugger’s biggest hit of the playoffs came in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians. He hit a three-run homer in the top of the tenth to give the Bronx Bombers the lead and clinch the series.

Breaking: Juan Soto to the Mets. $765M. 15 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 9, 2024

Soto has been a star in the league ever since making his debut in 2018 with the Washington Nationals. The outfielder had 22 home runs and 70 RBIs as he finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.

The outfielder won the World Series with the Nationals in 2019. He earned MVP votes for the first time during his career, finishing ninth for the award.

The slugger took another leap during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. Soto won the batting title with a .351 average. He also posted career highs with a .490 on-base percentage, a .695 slugging percentage, and a 1.185 OPS.

Soto was the runner-up for the MVP award in 2021. He made his first All-Star appearance and led the National League with 7.1 wins above replacement.

The Nationals traded their star to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline, as contract negotiations seemed to be going nowhere. The Padres reached the NLCS in Soto’s first year with the team. He finished sixth in MVP voting in 2023 but the team failed to make the postseason. The Padres then dealt the slugger to the Yankees one year before free agency.

Soto’s decision to sign with the Mets opens the market for other big-name free agents to find new homes. Players like Corbin Burnes, Pete Alonso, Max Fried, and others are expected to follow in signing new free-agent deals.

Casey Fahrer is a recent graduate from Syracuse University and a contributor to Inside The Pinstripes. He can be reached at caseyfahrer716@gmail.com.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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