Juan Soto’s offseason deal is probably going to be bigger than anticipated. According to The NYPost’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, the buzz around Soto is that his megadeal could surpass the $600 million mark. Heyman reported Soto having a real shot at setting a new contract value record, which is after considering Shohei Ohtani’s record-breaking deal with the Dodgers, technically worth a whopping $700 million. 

Although the real payout in Ohtani’s deal is closer to $450 million because 97% of the money is deferred, interest-free. So, with the numbers being tossed around, Soto’s deal could end up being a landmark. The countdown is on for Juan Soto, and it looks like his free agency could come to an end sooner rather than later. There’s a growing expectation that the 26-year-old could have his future locked up by the time the Winter Meetings wrap up in Dallas next Thursday—or even before that. 

Juan Soto has started to eliminate teams from his list of suitors  

The Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Dodgers are all reportedly on the list of suitors. And if Juan Soto’s free agency wasn’t already intense enough, his agent, Scott Boras, just dropped another intriguing piece of information. At Blake Snell’s introductory Dodgers press conference on Tuesday, Boras revealed that Soto has started the process of “eliminating” teams from contention. That means the list of potential suitors is getting shorter, but which teams are in is still unclear. While Boras did acknowledge that Soto is narrowing his options, he also emphasized how a decision isn’t exactly “imminent.” 

According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees recently upped their bid for Soto, who is looking for something in the neighborhood of a 15-year deal, which makes sense given his age and long-term potential. A shorter-term deal, however, is likely not what Soto has in mind. With a player of his caliber, why wouldn’t he aim for a massive, long-term commitment? After all, he could anchor a lineup for a decade or more. 

Does anyone know where the Dominican player will end up?

Fans can take solace in knowing the teams are just as much in the dark as they are, given there’s still no clue on which team will get the final approval. MLB insider Andy Martino shared how one well-placed league source put it: “I don’t think anyone knows where Juan wants to play except for Juan and [agent] Scott Boras, and maybe Juan’s family.” Even within the Yankees, where Soto has built personal ties over the last year, there’s no inside scoop on what’s going on in his mind. 

At the start of the offseason, SNY reported that the Yankees might have a slight advantage. That report was based on insight from a few people who do know Soto. That doesn’t mean the Yankees are guaranteed a win. The Mets, with their new leadership and growing stability, are also a strong contender. While the Soto sweepstakes seemed to slow down for a few days over the Thanksgiving weekend, by Monday morning, there were no new visits or meetings lined up, part of the reason behind it being Scott Boras not needing to fuel a media frenzy.

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With financially aggressive teams like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays in the mix, Boras doesn’t need to parade Soto around to drum up hype. While both the Yankees and Mets are all-in on Soto, Toronto is expected to make the highest bid. While many doubt Soto would choose the Blue Jays, there’s a counterpoint: if Toronto’s in the final bidding, Soto could be willing to play there.