The holiday cheer has come early for the New York Mets, as superstar Juan Soto has reportedly agreed to a record-shattering 15-year, $765 million deal. At just 26 years old, Soto has become the centerpiece of New York baseball, surpassing Shohei Ohtani’s historic $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers. This deal doesn’t just make headlines—it rewrites the MLB record books.

Mets owner Steve Cohen played it coy during negotiations but hinted at his determination. “We’re gonna find out. It’s either yes or no. There’s no in-between, and time will tell,” Cohen had said. Well, time has indeed told, and Cohen’s persistence has landed him one of the most coveted players in baseball. While the contract is still pending a physical, its announcement has already sent shockwaves through the MLB and stirred the sports world, including their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees.

Steve Cohen’s last-minute play

It is public knowledge that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman were heavily linked to Soto, with insiders like Andy Martino suggesting Soto wearing Yankee pinstripes was all but a done deal—until it wasn’t. After all, the Dominican sensation was a pivotal part of the Yankees’ 2024 AL pennant win, and well, the Yankees have history and are an iconic part of baseball history. But at the last moment, Soto has changed his heart and mind. Andy Martino of SNY described it best—he said during a dinner discussion that evening, the Yankees knew they had him, and then by the meal’s end, the tide had turned. How? Well, a blast by the name of Steve Cohen transpired!

“Steve Cohen came from the top rope very late and got it done,” Martino mentioned on how the New York Mets owner did a stunning reversal of the outcome. The Mets offered more than the Yankees, while the latter offered $760 million for 16 years, the Mets went for $765 million for 15 years, plus a signing bonus of $75 million. Cohen was anticipated as the richest owner to get this deal done, and he sure did.

According to Jon Heyman, Mets owner Steve Cohen pulled out all the stops to secure Juan Soto, hosting a grand meeting at his Beverly Hills mansion. “Cohen held his big confab with his new superstar Juan Soto at his mansion in Beverly Hills,” Heyman reported, emphasizing the contrast to the more generic, nondescript meeting rooms other teams used in Orange County.

Cohen’s approach was anything but ordinary. A Latin-inspired menu was presented to Soto and his entourage which added a personal cultural touch to the meeting. But the real showstopper came after dinner when they moved to a private theater room.

There, the Mets presented a custom-made film showcasing their vision for Soto’s future in New York. This wasn’t your typical PowerPoint presentation—it was a cinematic pitch, crafted to leave a lasting impression. Cohen’s meticulous approach may well have been the tipping point, proving that sometimes, it’s not just about the money—it’s about the experience.

The reason for the shift of balance in Juan Soto’s sweepstakes

The New York Yankees, as Deesha Thosar of FOX Sports reports, weren’t that far off from the bidding. “Just $3.5 million shy per year of what he’ll earn with the Mets,” Thosar mentioned. But for Thosar, it seems like it’s not a decision made only by the dollar bills— but about who made Soto feel like ‘the guy’. In her FOX article, she mentioned that Steve Cohen’s hands-on approach might have been a big factor.

And she isn’t wrong; Cohen isn’t someone who watches from the luxury box. He is on the field, at the clubhouse, and that level of engagement is rare. Soto’s one big requirement has always been a personal connection with the team and this must have been a big factor in Cohen winning him over.

Hal Steinbrenner, on the other hand, isn’t an owner who likes to mingle. Thosar mentioned, “One former Yankees player who spent eight seasons in pinstripes said he spoke to Steinbrenner just once or twice during his time in the Bronx.” Soto has asked Steinbrenner during their meeting in California why he didn’t try to connect during the season. Steinbrenner mentioned he didn’t want to wreck Soto’s focus and it seems like the answer didn’t sit well with Soto.

Regardless, this surely is the New York Yankees’ biggest loss. What makes it even more gut-wrenching is the sting is from their neighborhood team. What do you think about this deal? Let us know in the comment section below!