- Reuters
- 43 Minutes ago

Juan Soto signs largest deal in professional sports history
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- Web Desk
- Dec 09, 2024

NEW YORK: Sources told ESPN on Sunday that Juan Soto signed the largest deal in sports history, sending him across the street to the New York Mets.
The 2019 World Series champion and the five-time silver slugger now goes down in history as the highest paid player in Major League Baseball (MLB). Soto’s contract with the Met’s surpasses Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The deal is reportedly for $765 million for 15 years and includes an opt put clause after five seasons. Soto’s contract has an average annual value of $51 million and contains no deferrals, something that Soto desired according to earlier media reports. Ohtani is only being paid $2 million per year until 2034, as $680 million is deferred.
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However, if Soto chooses to stay with the Mets past the 2029 season, when he will have the opportunity to opt out, his AAV will rise to $55 million for the final ten years, increasing the worth of his contract’s worth to $805 million.
Soto previously played across the street with the New York Yankees. He helped the team secure the best record in the American League East, before propelling them to the World Series. Soto had an incredible 2024 season, hitting 41 home runs, a career high and the fourth most in the major league. He had a war of 7.9 which placed him sixth among all players.
According to media reports, the Yankees offered $760 million for 16 years, which would give Soto an AAV of $47.5 million. However, with the larger AAV, opt-out option, as well as a $75 million signing bonus, Soto was swayed to the Mets.
The Met’s add Soto to a line-up that already includes four time all-star Francisco Lindor, who hit 33 home runs last season. However, the Met’s home-pgrown star and best hitter, Pete Alonso, is currently a free agent.
Whether or not they re-sign Alonso to provide Soto some help, The Mets are the big winners of the off-season, landing a 26-year old star in his prime, who has 655 runs, 934 hits, 201 home runs, and 592 runs batted in (RBIs) so far in his regular season career.
