The Yankees’ unsuccessful try to re-sign Juan Soto was not for an absence of attempting, in accordance with the slugger himself.
Soto selected the Mets’ record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract over a reported 16-year, $760 million supply from the Yankees, whom he simply helped result in the World Sequence in what ended up being his lone season in pinstripes.
“I feel like they did everything that they have in their power to help me out, to bring me back,” Soto mentioned of the Yankees after Thursday’s introductory press convention at Citi Subject.
“But I have [the] other four teams doing the same thing and trying to make me feel comfortable. At the end of the day, we look at everything and we look at … what everybody wants to do for the next 15 years, and I think we have the best chances over here.”
Soto’s determination capped a high-stakes bidding struggle during which the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Purple Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers additionally emerged as official suitors.
The unprecedented demand for Soto, 26, adopted a season with the Yankees during which the lefty-swinging proper fielder hit a career-high 41 residence runs, ranked third within the majors with a .988 OPS and completed third in American League MVP voting.
“I don’t think it was the Mets over the Yankees,” Soto mentioned of his free-agency determination. “It was five teams that we had right there on the table. I don’t think it had anything to do with the Mets or the Yankees.”
The Yankees acquired Soto final December in a blockbuster commerce with the San Diego Padres, understanding full nicely they had been assured just one 12 months with the perennial All-Star earlier than he hit free company.
Soto adopted up his wonderful 2024 common season with a memorable postseason, throughout which he struck the go-ahead Tenth-inning residence run within the Yankees’ ALCS Recreation 5 win that clinched the AL pennant.
The Yankees’ mega-offer this offseason nonetheless would have made Soto the highest-paid participant in MLB historical past, however the Mets gave him $3.5 million extra yearly and included an opt-out clause after the 2029 season. If he triggers it, the Mets can void the opt-out by growing the general worth of Soto’s deal to $805 million.
“My Yankees experience, I can’t even describe it,” Soto mentioned Thursday. “It was incredible. I had the best time. It was really tough to go away from it, but definitely we were trying to figure out how things were gonna be here and there, and as a family we decided.”
Soto referenced his household as an element a number of occasions, and he additionally expressed pleasure for the Mets’ future, suggesting he sees potential for a dynasty.
The Mets superior to the 2024 NLCS earlier than dropping in six video games to the Dodgers, who beat the Yankees within the World Sequence in 5 video games. Soto mentioned the World Sequence end result didn’t contribute to his Bronx departure.
“Even though we lost the World Series, it was a great time,” Soto mentioned. “It was an unbelievable time, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I don’t think a win or loss was gonna decide what I was going to do.”
Requested if he had spoken to any of his now-former Yankees teammates, Soto mentioned, “I haven’t talked to any of those guys. We talked to them throughout the playoffs, but after I had this process, I haven’t talked to anyone.”
And when Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, was requested Thursday concerning the Yankees’ pursuit, he deadpanned, “When you’re at a wedding, you don’t talk about the bridesmaids, so I’m not here to address why or why not.”
However he echoed Soto’s sentiment that the outfielder’s expertise with the Yankees was a constructive one.
“The New York Yankees in this negotiation stepped up,” Boras mentioned. “They really, really made themselves known in this process, and the Soto family, I think, has the highest regard, and it was really about internally what they felt was best long-term.”
Mets proprietor Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns downplayed the importance of swiping Soto particularly from their crosstown rival, although the latter acknowledged the Yankees had been “probably” their largest competitors to signal the famous person.
“We didn’t have a ton of visibility, so it was tough to tell,” Stearns mentioned. “We knew he had a good experience there, so we knew that was going to be a main competitor.”
Soto, in the meantime, mentioned successful will in the end decide which group is the king of New York.
“It’s been a Mets town for a long time. I think we just gotta bring it to the top,” Soto mentioned. “Championships are gonna tell you if it’s a Yankees or a Mets town at the end of the day.”
