The Juan Soto The free agency sweepstakes are starting to become more popular, and the Mets are shining Francisco Lindor is involved.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the Mets’ push for Soto “has gotten the better of” Lindor, who “played a role in Soto’s recruitment.”
Passan notes that Lindor “would like another star in Queens.”
Last week it was reported that the Mets are scheduled to meet with Soto in California this week Steve Cohen expected to be present.
In addition to the Mets and Yankees, Soto is drawing interest from the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Dodgers, Giants, Rays and others.
It’s impossible to imagine a scenario in which Soto ends up with the light-hungry Rays, and the Dodgers don’t make much sense for him given their enormous salary obligations and their need for high-end starting pitching.
Per Passan, the Blue Jays have their first meeting with Soto this week, followed by the Red Sox, Mets and Yankees.
It is expected that Soto, who is represented by Scott Boraswill sign a deal worth $600 million or more, possibly for 13 or 14 years.
The 26-year-old rejected a 15-year, $440 million offer from the Nationals in 2022 before being traded to the Padres — and later to the Yankees.
As the Mets pursue Soto, they will do so from a position of strength and flexibility when it comes to their payroll situation.
The Mets — whose 2024 payroll was pockmarked by money owed to players who no longer played for them — have committed only about $150 million through 2025, a figure that includes the roughly $18 million earmarked for player benefits.
The above figure will increase if arbitration raises are due to a handful of players, but the Mets will have an incredible amount of flexibility regardless.
For reference, the Mets finished the 2024 season with a payroll of $356.2 million, including luxury tax penalties owed.
New York’s projected 40-man commitments from 2026 to 2029 also put them in an advantageous spot, with the Mets on the hook for the following, via Cot’s Baseball Contracts:
2026: $119.8 million
2027: $107.8 million
2028: $74.7 million
2029: $75.2 million
