As most free agency periods do, this MLB offseason will all center on one key player. This year, it's Juan Soto. Soto, acquired by the New York Yankees in a trade last offseason, helped bring New York to its first World Series in 15 years. Only 26, Soto is expected to get a lengthy contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars this offseason.
Plenty of teams are thought to be in the running, but there are likely only a few who can actually shell out the money he'll be looking for. Among them is the New York Mets, owned by Steve Cohen who has a propensity to spend big.
New York is interested, and reportedly has infield All-Star Francisco Lindor involved in their recruitment campaign according to Jeff Passan.
Lindor and Soto, though never teammates, are notably close. An old clip of Soto and Lindor in-game re-emerged this week on social media:
Juan Soto cares for Francisco Lindor like a brother.pic.twitter.com/ARqTQjjuKR
— Ben Yoel (@Ben_Yoel) November 13, 2024
It shows Soto, then a member of the Washington Nationals, taking a vested interest in his opponent Lindor, who was hit by a pitch during the game. Soto asks if he's OK in Spanish and encourages a Mets staffer to get him some water.
It remains to be seen what factors Soto truly values most in his free agency decision. But an All-Star he has a friendship with can't hurt.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Classy Mic'd-Up Moment Between Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor Resurfaces Amid Mets Chase.
