Insiders detail how Mets' Steve Cohen won Juan Soto sweepstakes

"The Mets' meeting with Soto in November, people briefed on the matter said, happened in California at one of Cohen’s homes. That was different," The Athletic's Will Sammon reported after the Soto-Mets news broke. "All of Soto’s other meetings with different clubs were held at a hotel. ... Soto’s get-together with the Mets shared commonalities from previous meetings with high-profile free agents, where pieces of Cohen’s personality poured out into the process. In past meetings, according to people briefed on the discussions, Cohen told free agents that he views his ownership as a civic duty. He’s in it to win for the long haul, he says. He’s looking to do what it takes to build a perennial winner." 

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Cohen is the richest owner in MLB who is both able and willing to give a 26-year-old phenom a historic contract. According to Sammon and others from The Athletic, Soto also "felt the energy at Citi Field" during his previous visits to Queens while with the Yankees and other clubs.

Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reported Monday morning that "Steinbrenner came within $5M of" Cohen and "upped his offer by a whopping $100M in just the last few days" in an attempt to persuade Soto to commit his long-term future to the Yankees. 

"The Yankees believed they could convince Soto to re-sign as long as they were competitive with Cohen," Klapisch added. "They didn’t necessarily have to outbid the Mets, just get close enough to show Soto they meant business." 

Steinbrenner and others within the Yankees were wrong, and they'll now have to live with Soto representing the Mets for the foreseeable future. 

Mike Puma of the New York Post and others noted that the Mets need more than just Soto as they attempt to compete with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Many fans will still want Cohen to re-sign beloved first baseman Pete Alonso. The Amazins could use an ace after Kodai Senga missed almost all of this past season because of injury setbacks. 

Cohen showed he's all-in on winning via the Soto deal. Time will tell if Stearns can work his magic for a second straight offseason.