Will Juan Soto go for money or connections? Veteran New York Post baseball insider Jon Heyman noted it would be the former during his appearance on the ‘Foul Territory’ podcast, hosted by former MLB Network reporter Scott Braun and retired Major League catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Furthermore, Heyman emphasized he expects Soto to make his decision within days. 

Juan Soto is arguably the most sought-after player on the free-agent market. The Yankees are one of the top teams bidding for his services; other contenders like the Mets and the Red Sox continue to push hard. It looks like Soto’s decision is fast approaching, and Jon Heyman thinks money is of the essence here. Braun asked Heyman if he thought there was any chance that Soto might not just take the highest offer, to which he responded with an interesting take.

While there’s some chance that Soto could prioritize something other than money, it’s “not likely.” Heyman explained, “I think there’s a chance but not likely. In the last two years, we’ve seen superstars come out—the third year in a row now. We had Judge, Ohtani, and now Soto. The previous two did not go for the most money. I think those were rare cases.”

However, Heyman emphasized that Soto’s situation is different, mainly because of his opt-out clause: “I think in this case, we’re talking about a guy who has opt-outs. So if you’ve got opt-outs, that’s more evidence you’re gonna go with the biggest money. If you don’t like the place, you could then opt out.” With that flexibility, Heyman thinks Soto is likely to go for the biggest payday; after all, why settle when there’s the option to take the best offer on the table? But the question remains: How much? 

Shohei Ohtani’s record might get broken with Juan Soto’s deal

A major contract agreement with Juan Soto is expected to come during the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas on December 9. The New York Yankees are keen to bring him back, but they face tough competition from the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox; both of whom are aggressively pursuing the generational talent. But whether or not Soto returns to the Yankees, his eventual contract is expected to rival the deal Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

According to Jack Curry of YES Network, Soto’s contract will likely surpass Ohtani’s in terms of overall value. “Now, I don’t mean 10 years and $700 million. I mean the actual value, which is $46 million a year,” Curry remarked, adding, “When you start to think about what that means in terms of years, if it’s a 12-, 13-, or 14-year deal, you’re getting into the $600 million territory.”

Jack Curry clarified that while Ohtani’s deal isn’t worth $70 million per year, the true value of his contract averages around $46 million annually. That makes it more feasible for Soto to land a similar deal. He also highlighted that the Bombers believe they’ve held productive conversations with Soto’s camp and are confident in the presentation they’ve made. While their offer, estimated at around $550 million, may not be the highest, Curry emphasized that the Yankees view it as their best possible offer.