Juan Soto contract rumors: Top MLB free agent expected to sign by end of Winter Meetings, per reports
The Juan Soto sweepstakes are well underway, with MLB’s Winter Meetings set to begin Sunday.
Undoubtedly the most sought after free agent this offseason, the star Yankees outfielder is poised to receive one of the biggest contracts in the league’s 100-plus year existence.
Several of MLB’s top teams ā including the Yankees’ crosstown rival MetsĀ ā have expressed interest in the four-time All-Star and 2019 World Series champion. Which franchise will come out on top, though, remains to be seen.
Here’s everything to know about Soto’s contract rumors, including why the top MLB free agent is expected to sign by the end of Winter Meetings, per reports.
MORE:Ā How Juan Soto could become highest-paid MLB player
Juan Soto contract rumorsAside from both New York-based MLB clubs, Soto is also receiving interest from the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers, among others with less serious intentions.
The 26-year-old Dominican lefty is expected to make his final decision by the end of Winter Meetings at the latest, which would set a deadline of Dec. 12, The Athletic reported Tuesday, following on a similar report from the Associated Press.
Soto’s agent Scott Boras, though, said he doesn’t expect an “imminent” decision.Ā
āWhen youāre going through these things, heās just got a lot of information to meld through,ā Boras said Tuesday. āWeāve had meetings with a number of franchises. Heās begun the process of eliminating teams and doing things. Juan is a very methodical thinker, so weāll see, but I donāt think anything is imminent in the near future.ā
Juan Soto contract projectionSoto is on his way to nabbing the biggest contract in MLB history in terms of present-day value, with bidding having surpassed $600 million as of Tuesday, per The Athletic. The Dodgers signed two-way star Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract last offseason, but the built-in deferrals put the present-day value of the deal much lower.
Per The Athletic, the remaining contenders in the Soto sweepstakes have all made offers surpassing the $600 million mark. Additionally, Boras said the slugger has begun winnowing his list of suitors, though he did not specify which franchises have been cut.
