Right now, it’s not the players in baseball who are centerstage, but an agent. Like it or not, such is the aura of Scott Boras. After a rather humbling off-season in 2023, he came in this year wanting revenge – a prove-it-all approach. First with Blake Snell and then, a deal no one saw coming or was never seen before. A $765 million contract with the New York Mets for Juan Soto, more than the two-way player Shohei Ohtani with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Not only that, but he also managed to get Soto extra perks – from a suite to premium tickets or security. But with the off-season drawing to a close, he is in light for the wrong reasons.

Boras’ resume has once again taken a sharp turn for the worse. Even with January gone, two of his clients are still on the market: Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman. Now he has been criticized by many for not being as great an agent as others claim. Because, well, getting marquee players signed is simple, like Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani. But the real test is getting the others signed where Boras has not been successful yet.

Scott Boras’s failure to get the best deals for A-list clients

Now the case of Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman has one common aspect – Boras not evaluating the right value of the player. What’s surprising is that both Pete and Alex received substantial offers from the Houston Astros and New York Mets, but they both declined. And such a wrong sense of value has put these Boras clients in a puddle. Last year there was the same painting, except for the characters.

It was the Boras Four. Such was the failure, they even got grouped into a category – Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery. They all remained unsigned at the outset of spring training in mid-February. David Samson recently came out to call out Boras saying the agent simply doesn’t do his homework. He said, “Scott Boras doesn’t want to do the work to take his players to arbitration or negotiate realistic deals. He overpromises to poach players from other agents, assuring them they’ll get contracts no one else can deliver. It’s all horse hockey.” Plus, when Boras Four got signed, a long-term deal was far from the scene, and mind you, these are great players.

The timelines also affected Jordan Montgomery hugely, he was one of the worst-performing players in 2024. That’s not the sign of being a more successful agent now, is it? Montgomery ditched Boras and even called out his agent for making his free agency experience so sour. And this time the scales are tipping more to the HOT side, as everyone saw what happened at the Mets fan fest.

Steve Cohen himself called out Boras. For him, it was even more exhausting than the Juan Soto deal. He described the presented deal as asymmetrical, which has now gone pretty viral. But yes, a team owner, shunning down a crowd, shouting, “We want Pete,” with harsh truth—no one saw that coming. And that speaks volumes about the level of irking that owners have with Boras.

The impact of baseball analytics on agent negotiations

There’s no doubt that Scott Boras‘s role as an agent in MLB has been crucial. But certain things have changed, and quite majorly. Earlier, teams relied on agents for player evaluations and contract negotiations. Agents like Boras had advantages; they made lengthy reports and pitched in for their clients. Boras’s team had once provided a 50-page binder on Max Scherzer, ruining metrics like the Pitching Odometer. This was to highlight Scherzer’s value and durability in the game.

But right now, MLB teams themselves have access to advanced analytics. Analysts study them day in and day out to assess the player’s real value. It has reduced the information gap that agents exploited by maybe keeping some under wraps. Metrics like the Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and others like on-base average or Batting Average on Balls in Play help amazingly with the analysis. Analytics often go beyond plate revolution, and it helps even on the mound – from defensive alignment to in-game decisions. For instance, pitchers can get insights into the opposition batter’s weaknesses and more.

Plus, teams can find players who have a chance of getting injured. Even though agents are still needed, the analytics can be handled without them. So, they need to pitch in from the client’s side through other ways. From selling their leadership skills to their clubhouse presence and more, other aspects add to the overall value. And this is where Scott Boras has missed by a mile this time around.

Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman both didn’t have a great season. So, aiming for the most they can get was maybe not wise. However, what’s surprising is that they still trust their agent. Well, at least Alonso seems to have; because according to Ben Nicholson Smith’s recent X post, the Polar Bear has asked to not be contacted by other agents. He wants to carry on with his agent no matter what. Surprised? Well, this can be because they are playing the long game. Look at Cody Bellinger, for example.

Cody Bellinger didn’t get a great deal, nor did Blake Snell last year. But now they have beneficial deals and good teams, all with Scott Boras by their side. Snell locked in $182 million with the Dodgers! So, Alonso and Bregman might be waiting to choose a team that gives better AVV and, for sure, an opt-out. That way, they can be out when the market is better and get better deals.

What are your thoughts on Scott Boras as an agent? Don’t hesitate to share with us!