The competition to win a superstar as a free agent Juan Soto will enter the next phase, there ESPN's Buster Olney reported this afternoon that teams are expected to begin sending offers to outfielder camp later this week. Olney adds that Soto has been meeting with teams at this point in the process, allowing Soto and officials from interested clubs to get to know each other. The Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Red Sox, DodgersAnd Phillies It is known that they all met with Soto at this point. The Giants, raysAnd Royals All are known to be among the teams that have also reached out to Soto, although it is publicly known that there have been no meetings between Soto and any of those clubs and the Royals are reportedly already considering the offseason's top free agent as an outsider consider their comfort zone.
Of course, the above list of teams is certainly not complete. Previously unreported clubs have certainly contacted Soto and perhaps even met with him as he prepares to sign the largest contract in MLB history this winter, measured by net present value. A two-time MVP finalist and career .285/.421/.532 hitter entering his age-26 season, Soto is considered the rare free agent who makes sense for virtually any competitive time frame and as such would be considered an upgrade to all 30 ball clubs, making his market limited by teams' willingness to spend enough to sign him rather than position or competitive fitness.
The general consensus around the game seems to be that the Yankees and Mets are the favorites for Soto's services, as both deep-pocketed New York teams appear to be motivated as the Yankees look to retain their key addition from last offseason, the helped keep the club from falling out Soto obviously has a spot in the Yankees' lineup as the incumbent right fielder, although he might make even more sense for a Mets club that can push Starling Marte to DH to accommodate the addition of Soto, as the acquisition of Soto forced the Yankees to play Aaron Richter as their everyday midfielder last year.
However, that doesn't mean the other teams should be counted out in the mix. Both the Phillies and Dodgers are already in need of outfield help this winter, and by signing Soto they could further bolster an already excellent lineup that has made them the class of the NL this year. The Blue Jays appear particularly motivated after coming up just short in the Ohtani sweepstakes last winter and then missing the playoffs in 2024, while the Red Sox appear poised to spend again in line with their market size this winter to make after spending several winters on the periphery of free agency over the last few winters. MLBTR's Steve Adams recently took a look at all 30 clubs as part of the Soto sweepstakes among Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.
While Soto has emphasized the importance of the team's competitiveness in his decision-making and there have been questions about whether he might prefer an East Coast team given his offseason homes in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the Dominican Republic, the deciding factor is The role that plays a role in separating Soto's admirers is money. With offers expected over the next week, it is possible that previously unknown applicants may emerge as contenders for the star's services, or that currently announced applicants may fall behind in the bidding process. It's also possible that the process will move quickly once offers come in. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported earlier this week that in connection with the game, it is believed that Soto could sign during or even before the Winter Meetings, which take place in Dallas next month from December 9th to 12th.
