New York Mets’ Juan Soto Interest Emerges, Yankees Face Danger Amidst Impending Free Agency

The water is quite wet nowadays and the sun too is a little bright. Those are some obvious statements, just like this one – Juan Soto has a team interested in signing him! Of course, they are, the 25-year-old’s talents almost guarantee a wide pool of suitors to choose from. However, the name that has come up right now could very well send the New York Yankees into a little panic mode – it’s the Mets.

The Mets’ current offseason has been nothing more than a temporary bandaging. The team’s high payroll has ensured that things remain a little stagnant for them financially. However, next season won’t have such issues and that has opened a massive door for them. What if Soto enters through it? That certainly would be a game-changing move, but things aren’t as simple as they look.

The Juan Soto – New York Mets connection takes birth

The Mets faced off against the Yankees yesterday, they ended up defeating their Bronx Neighbors 5-4. While Soto was absent from that game, it looks like his name was already spreading across the Mets Clubhouse. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Mets “fully intend” to take part in Juan Soto’s sweepstakes next season. 

One of the primary reasons for the Queens Side’s subdued offseason this year was their payroll. More importantly, it was the high salaries they owed to Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. However, next season Scherzer’s salary will be gone and so will other players’ as well. According to Spotrac, the current tax payroll of the Mets stands at $312.2 million. In 2025, it is predicted to go down to $160 million.

So with such a huge space becoming available to them, it isn’t surprising that the team is looking to go all in for Soto. After all, even without such a privilege the Mets had offered $325 million to Yoshinobu Yamamoto this offseason. So one can guess just how hungry Steve Cohen is for a winning player to be a part of his roster.

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However, there’s a slight worry here. It’s not that the Yankees can prove to be a big competitor, it’s that the Mets are also targeting another huge free agent next offseason.

Could the Pete Alonso pursuit affect this connection?

The Mets are expected to go for their homegrown superstar as well. The fact that the team hasn’t offered any extension yet shows that they’re getting ready for his free agency. While Pete Alonso’s sweepstakes aren’t expected to go as high as Juan Soto’s, it will be huge nonetheless. Would the Mets want to go for both of them at the same time? 

While one does not doubt the Mets’ ability to afford both of these superstars at the same time, would they want to again get that much burden over their shoulders? The sky-high payroll has already made the team suffer, so it makes one vary any prediction. However, smoke will clear eventually – it always does.

Read more: Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga Leading List of Injured Pitchers, Yet Teams Slow-Playing Free Agent Market