Did the Mets overpay for Juan Soto’s $765M deal? Its impact on other free agents and Yankees’ next moves after losing out on the superstar (GETTY)
The New York Mets won the fight for Juan Soto, but it may have cost them a lot. On Sunday, they signed the slugger to a 15-year, $765 million contract. While the contract is the largest in professional sports history, its $51 million average annual value (AAV) trails Shohei Ohtani's $70 million.
The question now is whether or not Soto is truly worth this much. Both the Mets and New York Yankees seemed to think he was, as the Yankees' final offer was $760 million over 16 years. Is he?
Soto has a lot of unique factors working in his favor. He hit free agency at 26, much younger than most players. He has also had several great seasons, so he's good. His age meant that teams could sign 15-year deals and it wouldn't be as big of a risk.
