Why Did Juan Soto Reject a $440 Million Contract Offer in 2022? What Will It Take to Re-Sign Him in Free Agency Eventually?

One of the biggest stories heading into the offseason is Juan Soto and his possible entry into the New York Yankees fold. They have been eyeing the left-handed outfielder all season long, believing him to be a perfect fit for the Bronx. Soto, who currently plays for the San Diego Padres, will need to be traded if the Yankees are willing. One thing to note is that next year the slugger hits free agency, but will the Pinstriped team wait that long?

The massive interest of MLB teams in Soto is quite evident. It’s understandable as well, the player is coming off of great seasons and has a huge potential. He hit his career-best 35 home runs with an average of .275 in the regular season of 2023 even if the Friars struggled. So what will be the cost of signing him next year? Well! one can get an idea of it by understanding the offer that Soto rejected in 2022 that he received from the Washington Nationals.

Nationals’ $440 million offer to Juan Soto – Why did he reject it?

The 25-year-old’s time with the Washington Nationals was defined by broken records. A phenomenon right from his teenage years, the Dominican has consistently improved on his peaks. He had a World Series, a Silver Sluger award, and an All-Star tag to his name, making it obvious as to why the Nats wanted to sign him long-term. So they offered him a massive contract of $440 million for 15 years. That contract would have been the highest a player had ever signed in MLB.?

Yet the “Childish Bambino” surprised the baseball world by rejecting that offer. Even though the numbers before his free agency were huge, Soto felt that it was not in his best interests.?One of the biggest reasons was the structure of the agreement. Although they offered Soto $440 million the payment was heavily backloaded.

This meant that the bulk of payment was kept in the last years of the contract. In a way, the Nationals had deferred the payment. Soto’s manager also pointed out that the paycheck may be big but his salary was only slightly over $29 million. The slugger wouldn’t have been close to the highest-paid player with that amount.

Another reason for Soto’s rejection was the Nationals’ future itself. The late team owner Ted Lerner had announced plans to restructure its ownership and was open to selling the Nats. So there was no clarity as to whether the current ownership would even remain after Soto agreed to the deal.?

As a result, the outfielder thought it better to reject the deal. Because of his refusal, the Nationals started looking for trade options and ended up trading him to the San Diego Padres.

Juan Soto’s current contract and his potential demands for next year

The Nats traded Soto to the San Diego Padres in 2022. Soto had impressive performances for the Pads as well. The Dominican star continued to string together a strong season. So, the Friars offered him a one-year contract worth $23 million.

His salary is expected to increase to $30 million in the final year of his arbitration. The player will then enter free agency during the 2024-25 offseason and might demand a huge increase in his payout. For a player who has rejected a $440 million deal, it won’t be a surprise if Soto tries to follow in the footsteps of Shohei Ohtani and look for a $500 million contract.

Still, as his previous dealings indicate, the player hopes to get a high salary as well. So not only would a high overall value matter but he’d also expect to get higher numbers from the first year itself. Hence, even if many teams are ready to sign him, perhaps only a few can actually afford him. And there are two in particular who hold tremendous interest in Soto.

Potential places that Juan Soto can go to

It’s a known fact that the Pads are trying to reduce their massive payroll and trading Soto is a sure-shot way of doing that. So, like vultures circling over their prey, all the rivals are hovering over the Pads.

Read more – Shohei Ohtani To J. D. Martinez: Top MLB Free Agents To Lookout For 2023-2024 Offseason

New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs have a huge interest in Soto. The Cubs, who are currently rebuilding, had an 83-win 2023 season and are looking to improve their offense. It could be a good place for Soto but they are currently waiting to see what the Padres will do regarding Soto’s $30 million demands.?

The other team and the most likely candidate is the New York Yankees. The 27x World Series winners have the pedigree and money to attract Soto. They must be quite desperate to improve themselves after a disastrous 2023 season. Soto’s entry could revitalize the Yankees, solving at least a portion of their offensive problems.?

And now the saga of Soto continues. With teams lining up to sign the left-handed sensation, who do you think will succeed in attracting the star??

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