DALLAS — Juan Soto is headed to the Mets on a document 15-year contract price $765 million in a muscle flex that’s positive to resonate all through the sport and past.
A number of questions to think about within the wake of the historic contract:
What does this imply for Pete Alonso?
It may very nicely imply he’s headed to the Yankees, who’ve loads of cash to spend after lacking on Soto and a necessity for extra energy and a primary baseman.
Alonso, 30, had a down 12 months by his requirements final season, posting a .240/.329/.459 slash line with 34 homers and 88 RBIs.
It’s definitely not the stroll 12 months he wished after turning down a proposed contract extension the earlier season that The Publish’s Joel Sherman reported would cowl seven years and pay him $158 million.
Alonso has repeatedly stated he desires to stay with the Mets, however these possibilities might have diminished with Soto’s contract.
Even so, he’s a part of the group’s cloth and it wouldn’t be stunning if the 2 sides discovered widespread floor on a brand new contract.
The Mets nonetheless have a number of wants, so now what?
At the start, the workforce wants one other beginning pitcher (a minimum of one) even after including Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes in current weeks.
Sean Manaea, who excelled for the workforce final season, is a free agent however you need to surprise if Soto’s big deal eliminates the potential of the Mets providing a contract for a pitcher that would method or surpass 9 figures.
Walker Buehler and Nathan Eovaldi are among the many names that would make sense for the Mets, who watched Luis Severino depart final week on a three-year contract from the A’s price $67 million.
Comply with The Publish’s protection of Juan Soto’s historic megadeal with the Mets:
How excessive will this payroll go?
The Mets are sitting at $251 million for luxurious tax functions for subsequent season with Soto’s contract included, based on FanGraphs.
So it’s doable (with Alonso looming massive within the equation) the Mets will surpass $301 million — the edge that carries the best stage of penalties below the competitive-balance tax system.
Any challenge for Francisco Lindor that Soto greater than doubled his contract?
There shouldn’t be.
Begin with the actual fact Lindor determined to forgo free company and settle for a 10-year contract price $341 million after arriving to the Mets in a commerce.
Additionally, Soto is simply 26 years outdated and baseball’s economics have modified within the 4 years since Lindor was traded to the Mets.
The Mets positive appear to be stockpiling ex-Yankees, is there something to that?
It’s a listing that final season included Severino and Harrison Bader.
This offseason, it’s Holmes, Montas and Soto.
A few of it’s coincidental, however supervisor Carlos Mendoza (a former Yankees coach) has valued enter in organizational selections.
Soto is a no brainer no matter the place he’s performed beforehand.