Mets icon, executive gives big update on pursuit of Juan Soto

Numerous stories linked the New York Mets with Juan Soto well before the All-Star outfielder helped the New York Yankees reach the 2024 World Series en route to becoming a free agent. 

Mets icon Carlos Beltran, who serves as special assistant to team president of baseball operations David Stearns, recently spoke with Joseph Reboyras of Puerto Rican newspaper Primera Hora about the team's offseason pursuit of Soto. 

"The Mets want to improve the team, and there is no doubt that they will go after free agents, especially Juan Soto, who everybody wants. The Mets will go full blast for him," Beltran said, as Bridget Hyland of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com shared. 

Beltran's comment is hardly surprising, as numerous industry insiders have said for months that the Mets are the favorites among the clubs that could steal Soto away from the Yankees. This is primarily because Mets owner Steve Cohen has the resources to outbid all other would-be buyers for the slugger. There's no indication Soto will give the Yankees any discount, but the Mets reportedly will have to compete with at least the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox for the offseason's biggest prize. 

Soto reportedly could put pen to paper on a contract worth $600M-$700M.

"The Mets' owner is one of the wealthiest in the game and wants to win," Beltran added. "When he tells the press that he wants to win, he doesn’t say it to rile up fans. It’s personal for him, and I got to see that being with the team this year." 

Mets fans were largely unimpressed by Stearns' activities during his first offseason with the club. Still, the Amazins got hot this past summer and ultimately made it to the National League Championship Series. The expectation is that Stearns' talents and Cohen's money will impress Soto during an upcoming meeting in California and allow the Mets to build a sustainable winner. 

Assuming Beltran is correct, rival clubs may want to prepare for "King Kong Cohen" to hand Soto a so-called "Godfather" offer before Thanksgiving.