Juan Soto is a free agent now that the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the World Series

Juan Soto sat in the Yankees’ dugout, watching the Dodgers’ World Series celebration after Game 5 concluded with New York epic 7-6 defeat at the hands of Los Angeles. This marks the onset of the free agency period and a substantial payday for Soto, regardless of his destination in the offseason.

Soto is coming off what could be considered the best season of his career, achieving a personal best with 41 home runs and 128 runs scored. As expected, he continues to be a master at getting on base, boasting a .419 OBP along with a .989 OPS, and remained one of the most difficult players in baseball to strike out.

How much money will Soto get?

Speculation about Juan Soto’s potential earnings as a free agent suggests that the 26-year-old superstar might not reach the $700-plus million mark that Shohei Ohtani secured from the Dodgers. However, it is widely anticipated that he will command a contract in the vicinity of $600 million. Earlier this season, Rant Sports reported that after the 2019 season, as part of the World Series Champion Nationals, Soto declined a 15-year, $440 million offer from Washington, which would have made him the highest-paid player in the sport.

Many close to Soto would relish the chance to see him remain a Yankee for the rest of his career, but there are complications that make this difficult, despite New York’s desire to have him back in pinstripes for many years. The issue starts with the financials: Aaron Judge’s contract is around half a billion dollars, and a new deal for Soto could lead to the Yankees incurring a significant luxury tax.

However, if Soto truly wished to remain with the Yankees, he would need to negotiate a contract similar to Ohtani’s, which is laden with deferred money, thereby enabling Los Angeles to sustain its budget annually keeping them a World Series contender year after year. Enter Scott Boras, Soto’s agent, a man known for securing the maximum possible earnings for his clients as permitted by the market and not know for giving a hometown discount to teams.

Boras and the teams likely to pay Soto the big bucks

Predicting where Soto might end up is challenging because Boras maintains secrecy around the teams interested in his clients. Boras is aware that only a select few teams can afford Soto, and he ensures his superstar only considers teams with a legitimate shot at contending for the World Series.

Rant Sports has pinpointed the select few teams that Boras will engage with in the upcoming months, as the Soto Sweepstakes are now in full swing. Boras is aware that the Yankees will be contenders; the creativity of both parties in negotiating to retain Soto in pinstripes will be a key aspect of his strategy, yet the ultimate deciding factor will be the amount of money they are prepared to offer.

The Mets surprised the entire baseball world with their playoff run, culminating in an NLCS loss to the Dodgers. Their multi-billionaire owner, Steve Cohen, is the richest in baseball and is reportedly eager to snatch Soto from his cross-town rivals, likely willing to meet almost any demand Boras presents.

One should not discount the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who have just awarded Ohtani the largest contract in sports history, as they remain perennial contenders for top free agents. With Ohtani and Soto potentially in the same lineup, the Dodgers might be willing to negotiate a deal worth $500 million, or a guaranteed $50 million annually with minimal or no deferrals, aligning with Soto and Boras’ preference over deferred payments in a contract to remain with the Yankees.

Another team interested in Soto is the San Francisco Giants, who have previously attempted to sign both Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper, two other clients of Boras. The new Giants General Manager, Buster Posey, has received the green light to enter the Soto sweepstakes, but the crucial factor will be convincing Soto that they can be contenders within a year or so.

Boras annual surprise teams

A hallmark strategy of Boras is to introduce an unexpected team or two into the list of potential suitors for his clients, and with Soto, it’s possible that a team could emerge at the last minute to secure him. Teams on the brink of contention are likely to engage with Boras and Soto, presenting a strategy that could persuade him they are willing to meet his price and involve him in decisions to acquire the additional pieces necessary to become top contenders.

The Philadelphia Phillies may be considered a dark horse in the race for Juan Soto, eyeing a way to bring him 90 miles south from the Bronx to Citizens Bank Park. The main challenge lies in the feasibility of taking on another hefty contract. Should the Phillies secure Soto’s signature, with no significant salary relief in sight for several years, it would depend on the team’s ownership’s readiness to acquire another high-profile free agent and surpass another threshold of the payroll luxury tax. However, having Soto in their lineup could elevate the Phillies to a competitive stature akin to the Dodgers as perennial National League contenders.

Then we turn to the Washington Nationals, where Soto rose to stardom and earned his World Series ring. Management has informed Boras of their interest in reuniting with Soto. With contracts expiring, they possess the financial flexibility to extend a competitive offer for him to return to a youthful Washington team poised for playoff contention on an annual basis. Soto maintains a strong relationship with Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo, who signed him at 16 and guided his ascent to superstardom. The Lerner family also enjoys a longstanding and amicable relationship with both Boras and Soto, with whom they remain closely connected.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Soto’s signing, the Nationals, with their talented young core, will be very active this winter. They may not secure Soto, but they are expected to sign several other Boras clients and might propose an extraordinary deal to him, potentially aiding the agent in securing more lucrative contracts from the true contenders.