The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly made a contract offer to star free agent outfielder Juan Soto, per Randy Miller of NJ.com. The Dodgers met with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, in Newport Beach, California last week. The Dodgers were one of multiple teams to meet with Soto and Boras, and one of five teams to offer a contract to the superstar.
The Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox reportedly all extended contract offers to Soto at their respective meetings. Soto, 26, is reportedly seeking a 15-year, $700 million contract with the team he signs with.
However, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Dodgers are not actually in serious contention to land Soto. Nightengale reported that the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, and Red Sox are the only four teams with real chances of signing Soto.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers just won a World Series without Soto, and it wasn’t much of an inconvenience to drive through traffic across town, and meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras,” Nightengale wrote. “The meeting helps perhaps drives the price up for Soto, and even more important, puts a little pressure on outfielder Teoscar Hernandez into re-signing with them.”
Soto reportedly prefers the East Coast to the West Coast, which is why it makes sense that he would sign with one of these Eastern-based teams.
The Mets are reportedly the favorites to sign Soto this offseason. Soto would remain in New York, and there is belief that no one will outbid Steve Cohen according to Nightengale. Soto could return to the Yankees, but they reportedly have a price ceiling.
Soto is coming off of a 2024 season in which he slashed .288/.419/.569 with 166 hits, 128 runs, 41 home runs, and 109 RBIs. He originally joined the Yankees after he was traded to New York from the San Diego Padres. He hit a career-high in home runs, and fourth overall in MLB in home runs. During the postseason and World Series against the Dodgers, Soto was one of the primary sparks for the Yankees’ lineup, hitting .327 with 16 hits, 12 runs, four home runs, and nine RBIs. He led the Yankees in the postseason in batting average, hits, and runs.
Even if the Dodgers do miss out on Soto, they are not lacking superstars in their lineup. Their lineup famously holds three MVP winners, and the Dodgers are stacked with talent. The good news is Soto is not expected to sign with any of the Dodgers’ division rivals, so the team will not have to consistently face him throughout future seasons.
