Mets superstar Juan Soto doesn’t let his relative youth get in the way of his decision-making, which always seemed wise beyond his seasons. Not once, but seven times Soto turned down enormous contract offers before hitting free agency so he’d get to choose where he’d play forever.
Soto, still only 27, went 7-for-7 with those calls. Once free, he played a serious six-team field into a bidding war between the Yankees and Mets before finally taking the Mets’ record $765 million deal with enough perks to embarrass the jet-setting Kevin Brown.
Soto’s contract was a North American sports record, and by the time the deal was consummated, the money wasn’t such a surprise for the hitting savant. What wasn’t expected was Soto choosing to move crosstown from sports’ most marquee franchise to the star-crossed Mets.
Ultimately, it wasn’t mostly about the money as the Yankees weren’t even a percentage point lower, at $760M (though for an extra 16th season). Six hours before the deal was done, before a lot of the extra trimmings were added, Soto told his agent, Scott Boras, he wanted to be a Met. Soto preferred them, though the mystery of why may never be unearthed.
