During the recent offseason, the New York Mets missed the opportunity to acquire outfielder Juan Soto, as he opted to join the crosstown-rival Yankees instead.
However, should Soto become a free agent next year, it is anticipated that the Mets will once again pursue the 25-year-old talent.
The most interesting thing heard at Mets' camp yesterday — and it's not surprising, given that the Scherzer contract (and others) will melt off their payroll next winter — is that they fully intend to take a run at Juan Soto next winter
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 6, 2024
In early December, the San Diego Padres traded the three-time All-Star to the Yankees, who later reached an agreement for a one-year, $31M contract for the 2024 season.
Before this move, Soto had spent over four seasons with the Washington Nationals before joining the Padres in August 2022. During his tenure with the Nationals, he earned two All-Star selections, won a Home Run Derby, secured two Silver Slugger awards, clinched a batting title, and played a pivotal role in Washington’s first-ever World Series victory.
In 2022, Soto, alongside Manny Machado and others, led the Nationals to the NLCS, where they were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies. Later in December of the same year, they bolstered their roster by signing longtime Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280M contract.
Despite possessing one of the most formidable lineups on paper, the San Diego Padres struggled in 2023, finishing with an 82-80 record, landing them in third place in the NL West and out of playoff contention.
Throughout the season, Soto was the sole player to appear in all 162 regular-season games. He continued to demonstrate his prowess by leading the league in walks for the third consecutive year with 132. Additionally, he topped the team charts in various categories, including runs scored (97), home runs (a career-high 35), RBI (109), on-base percentage (.410), slugging percentage (.519), OPS (.929), and total bases (295). Soto’s exceptional performance earned him a spot in his third All-Star team during the summer.
With his move to the Yankees, Soto is poised to create what could be considered one of the most formidable pairings in the American League alongside former AL MVP Aaron Judge. Together, they aim to lead the Yankees to their first World Series title since 2009.
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