Two Saturdays ago, a New York Mets Contingent led by owner Steve Cohen, POBO David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza met with a high-profile free agent Juan Soto and Agent Scott Boras in Southern California. Soto and Boras have met with several teams over the past two weeks and structured the trips as meet-and-greets Official offers only come this week.
Cohen's Mets will undoubtedly be a key player for Soto and may make the biggest offer, which seems like a necessity to lure him away from the crosstown New York Yankees. The Boston Red Sox And Toronto Blue Jays It is said that they are also serious about pursuing Soto, and I wouldn't rule that out Philadelphia Phillies or World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers either.
Soto just turned 26 last month and just finished third in AL MVP voting. He is one of the best batsmen in the game and one of the best batsmen of all time at this age. It goes without saying that Soto fits every single team. Here are three reasons why he's a particularly good fit for the Mets and vice versa.
1. The owner is willing to spend money
The Mets, not the Dodgers or Yankees, had the highest payroll in baseball in 2024. In fact, they've had the highest payroll in baseball each of the last three years. Between player salaries and the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT), the Mets plan to spend more than $400 million on player payroll this year. It would be their second straight season with an outlay of $400 million.
Cohen is the richest owner in the MLB and his net worth is said to be around $20 billion. But the fact is that all MLB owners are fabulously rich. What sets Cohen apart is his willingness to spend. Research by The Score found that the club's payroll exceeded its revenue in 2024so the Mets played with a loss. Chances are the Mets haven't actually lost any money this year and there's some complicated accounting involved, but every team uses the same tricks and the Mets were the only team to exceed their earnings.
Soto wants to win. Actually, He asked the teams about their desire to win at their meets this month. Spending money doesn't automatically mean winning, but it definitely helps. Cohen is willing to spend money. That means money in Soto's pocket (he'll do well wherever he goes) and also a quality roster around him. If the Mets sign Soto, Cohen won't limit spending on the rest of the roster like some other owners would. The property is located in Flushing.
2. You are now ready to win
After a slow start, the Mets compiled the best record in baseball (65-38) after June 2 and reached the NLCS for the first time since 2015. With a position player core led by the MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor and breakout star of 2024 Mark Vientosplus an owner desperate to win, there's every reason to believe the Mets will compete in 2025 and for years to come.
There's also this: The Mets have a treacherous old roster, especially on the position player side. Vientos and Francisco Alvarez their only regulars are in their twenties. Lindor just turned 31. Brandon Nimmo turns 32 in March. Jeff McNeil turns 33 in April. Starling Marte I just turned 36. Kodai Senga will be 32 on opening day and Edwin Diaz will be 31. In baseball years, this group has gotten a little long in the tooth. There is a certain urgency to win immediately. That's what Soto wants and he would help achieve it.
3. There is a huge hole in the middle of the lineup
Local thug Pete Alonso is a free agent, but even before that there was a bit of a void in the middle of New York's lineup. After reaching the top 5-6 spots in the lineup in October, things quickly thinned out. The Mets' roster currently looks like this, with only players under contract or under team control:
- SS Francisco Lindor
- 2B Jeff McNeil
- 1B Mark Vientos
- LF Brandon Nimmo
- DH Starling Marte
- C Francisco Alvarez
- CF Jose Siri
- RF Tyrone Taylor
- 3B Brett Baty
Of course, there's still almost a full offseason to go before spring training, but my goodness, wouldn't this lineup look a lot better with Soto in right field and at No. 2 in the lineup? This is much, much more impressive:
- SS Francisco Lindor
- RF Juan Soto
- 1B Mark Vientos
- LF Brandon Nimmo
- DH Starling Marte
- 2B Jeff McNeil
- C Francisco Alvarez
- CF Jose Siri
- 3B Brett Baty
Chances are the Mets will sign a first or third baseman to further bolster their lineup, perhaps even by re-signing Alonso. The point is, the Mets really need another middle-of-the-order bat. They also need pitching. Sean Manaea, Luis SeverinoAnd Jose Quintana were their three best innings of 2024 and all three are free agents. They will handle the pitching. Offensively, Soto is exactly what the Mets need. Strength, patience, bat-to-ball skills, confidence.
It seems imperative for the Mets to make the biggest offer possible, because trying to trade Soto for things like legacy and tradition just isn't going to work. The Yankees can offer all of that, just on a larger scale, plus he's familiar with the organization. Cohen's generosity will have to be the deciding factor for the Mets. However, the fit on the field is obvious. The Mets desperately need Soto. They need Soto much more than the Mets need Soto, and Cohen's offer needs to reflect that.
