Juan Soto has surpassed Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles Dodgers to secure the largest contract in Major League Baseball (MLB) history.
On Monday, ESPN reported that outfielder Juan Soto has agreed to a 15-year contract worth $765 million with the New York Mets. According to the report, Soto’s earnings, including incentives, could reach up to $800 million.
If this deal is finalized, Soto will surpass Ohtani’s record-setting 10-year, $700 million contract signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023. Unlike Ohtani’s agreement, which defers the majority (97%) of the total amount ($680 million) to be paid 10 years after the contract ends, Soto is expected to receive the entire amount during the contract period.
MLB’s official website, MLB.com, reported that the actual value of Ohtani’s deferred contract is $461 million, which makes his annual average salary $46.1 million.
Numerous teams had courted Soto before finalizing his decision. With expectations that any offer would start at a minimum of $600 million, many top-tier teams in large markets competed to sign him.
Scott Boras, Soto’s agent, stated, “When you’re going through these things, he’s just got a lot of information to meld through. We’ve had meetings with several franchises. He’s begun the process of eliminating teams and doing things. Juan is a very methodical thinker, so we’ll see, but I don’t think anything is imminent in the near future.”
Soto is widely regarded as the best left-handed hitter in MLB today. He made his MLB debut at 19 in 2018 with the Washington Nationals, recording a .292 batting average, 22 home runs, 70 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .923 in 116 games.
This season, while playing for the New York Yankees, Soto posted a .288 batting average (166 hits in 576 at-bats), 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and an OPS of .988. It marked his first season, hitting over 40 home runs. The Yankees, who acquired Soto in a trade last year, reached the World Series for the first time in 15 years, led by Soto and Aaron Judge (.322 batting average, 58 home runs, 144 RBIs).
Soto’s plate discipline is one of his standout qualities. He has drawn 769 career walks compared to 696 strikeouts, demonstrating his ability to resist chasing pitches outside the strike zone. Since his debut, Soto has never posted an on-base percentage below .400 in any season. His career stats include a .285 batting average (934 hits in 3,280 at-bats), 201 home runs, 592 RBIs, and a .421 on-base percentage.
In 2022, Soto turned down a 13-year, $350 million contract extension from the Washington Nationals.
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