In landmark deal with the Mets, Juan Soto gets what he’s wanted all along
New York TimesDALLAS – When the news first broke, some people thought Juan Soto was nuts. Soto’s 15-year, $765 million agreement with the New York Mets includes no deferrals and carries a $51 million average annual value, according to sources briefed on the contract. “So it’s kind of a ghost contract.” Soto, seen at All-Star Media Day in 2022 with agent Scott Boras, proved prescient to turn down the Nationals’ extension that summer. But rather than keep Soto for two-plus seasons after he rejected their $440 million offer, the Nationals traded him to the San Diego Padres at the deadline, signaling an even deeper rebuild. Like the Nationals, the Padres negotiated an excellent return, receiving five players for Soto and outfielder Trent Grisham even though at that point Soto was under club control for only one more season.