Juan Soto appears to hold the keys to the offseason, with top contenders waiting to see how his free agency unfolds. In one of the most anticipated free agency periods ever, Soto and agent Scott Boras are taking their time to secure a deal.
Even though Soto and the New York Yankees were focused on winning the World Series last season, the superstar's pending unrestricted free agency was a topic of discussion all year. The pairing of Aaron Judge and Soto helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time. However, they will undoubtedly need to pay up if they want to keep him in the fold.
While several clubs have been linked to the four-time All-Star, MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported on Monday that he only has four realistic landing spots.
As Soto and his representatives completed a series of interviews and meetings with various clubs, offers are expected to start rolling in. According to Nightengale, the Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are the four teams with serious chances of securing his signature.
Although other clubs, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, have all been linked to Juan Soto, none are considered threats. Nightengale pointed out that the Dodgers won the World Series without him on the roster, so signing him to the lucrative deal he seeks doesn't make sense. He also added that the Phillies have made no contact with Scott Boras.
Soto had an outstanding .288 batting average with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs while also being named an American League MVP Award finalist. No matter where he lands, he will make an immediate impact on his club.
Juan Soto is on the cusp of signing one of the richest contracts in MLB
While the entire baseball universe is waiting to see where Juan Soto will land in free agency, the only clear thing is that he will secure life-changing wealth wherever he signs. Although he may not top Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700,000,000 deal he signed with the Dodgers last season, he may not be too far off of it.
Soto's potential contract number has continued to change throughout the season, with its trajectory increasing. There is only speculation at this point of the offseason. However, it seems that the superstar outfielder should be able to clear the $600,000,000 mark. The only question will be which team steps up and pays him?