Superstar outfielder Juan Soto reportedly signs historic deal with the New York Mets
By Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — Juan Soto is changing clubs but not cities after officially signing with the New York Mets, the team announced on Wednesday.
The superstar outfielder signed a historic 15-year and $765 million deal, according to multiple reports.
Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the deal includes no deferred money and has escalators that can reach above $800 million.
The contract is reportedly not only the biggest in MLB history but in professional sports.
CNN has reached out to the Mets and Soto’s representation for comment.
The team will formally introduce Soto on Thursday at Citi Field.
The 26-year-old now becomes baseball’s reported highest-paid player, beating out Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, signed in December 2023.
However, Ohtani deferred more than 97% of his record-setting contract with the Dodgers until after the end of the 10-year term of the agreement, a source familiar with the terms of the deal previously told CNN.
Ahead of last season, Soto was traded to the New York Yankees from the San Diego Padres and had one of the best campaigns of his seven-year career.
The four-time All-Star finished with 41 home runs, 109 runs batted in and a .288 batting average while leading the Pinstripes to their first World Series appearance since 2009.
Soto, who won a World Series title while with the Washington Nationals in 2019, finished third in the American League MVP voting last season, behind former Yankees teammate Aaron Judge and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Soto now heads across town and joins National League MVP runner-up Francisco Lindor in Queens.
The Mets are coming off an improbable postseason run which ended in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
The Amazin’ Mets open their 2025 spring training Grapefruit League schedule February 22 against the Houston Astros at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
The team will then begin its regular season March 27 against the Astros in Houston.
The-CNN-Wire
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