Juan Soto Lands 15-Year, $765 Million Contract with New York Mets (Sports)
December 10, 2024
The New York Mets made the biggest move of the offseason by signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the largest contract in professional sports history.
The Mets and Juan Soto agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract on December 8. The deal has no deferred money and includes an opt-out after five years. If Soto opts out, the Mets can void it by increasing his annual salary by $4 million — from $51 million to $55 million — for the final 10 years, bringing the total contract value to $805 million.
Soto’s deal with the Mets is $65 million more than the 10-year, $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani signed last offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the average annual value of Soto’s contract is $51 million, the second-largest in MLB history, trailing only Ohtani’s $70 million per year.
Soto had a strong season with the New York Yankees, helping guide the team to the World Series and finishing third in AL MVP voting, which generated significant interest in the free-agent market. The New York Mets, Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers were among the final bidders. The Yankees made a competitive offer of 16 years and $760 million with no deferred money, but Soto ultimately chose to leave the Yankees for the Mets.
Soto has played eight MLB seasons and already has 201 home runs, five Silver Slugger Awards, and a batting title. In 4,088 career plate appearances, he holds a .285/.421/.532 slash line.
The 26-year-old is one of baseball’s best hitters and has postseason experience. Soto stays in New York, joining a contending Mets team that lost to the Dodgers in the NLCS — the same team that defeated Soto and the Yankees in the World Series.
Breaking: Juan Soto and the New York Mets are in agreement on a 15-year, $765 million contract, sources tell @jeffpassan.
— ESPN (@espn) December 9, 2024
It is the largest deal in professional sports history. pic.twitter.com/JjwUbhEIpn