The superstar outfielder agreed to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract to officially put an end to his free agency saga and make the move to Queens.
The New York Yankees, where Soto played last season, were in the running right up until the end, according to a report from Jon Heyman. The NY Post's MLB insider reports that the Yankees submitted an offer to Soto worth $760 million over 16 seasons. The 26-year-old ultimately chose to take the deal from Steve Cohen and the Mets, where he figures to spend the rest of his career.
It's a difference of $3.5 million in average annual value.
There had been inklings that Soto's deal could eclipse the $800 million mark, but Cohen and Co. were able to get in under that figure at $765 million. Still, it trumps Shohei Ohtani's $700 million deal as the largest in professional sports history.
Soto's deal reportedly does not include any deferred money, so he'll collect the total value of the contract by its end in 2041.
This past year, Soto launched a career-high 41 home runs to go with 109 RBIs and a .989 OPS in what ended up being his lone season as a Yankee.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Yankees Reportedly Made $760 Million Offer to Juan Soto Before He Signed With Mets.
