Will the Toronto Blue Jays break the bank for New York Yankees All-Star Juan Soto after missing out on Shohei Ohtani last year?
Last December, Blue Jays fans were convinced they had secured the two-way sensation after MLB Network’s Jon Morosi sparked a frenzy by tweeting that Ohtani was en route to Toronto. Social media erupted, and fans tracked flights from Southern California to the city, hoping to catch a glimpse of the superstar.
Unfortunately, it was all a misunderstanding. Ohtani remained at his home in California, and the private jet being monitored belonged to “Shark Tank” investor Robert Herjavec. Shortly after the hype died down, Ohtani signed a historic 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers — the largest contract in sports history.
Now, reports suggest the Blue Jays are prepared to make another bold move, this time for Juan Soto. According to NJ.com, Toronto is poised to offer Soto an “astronomical” contract, possibly in the range of 15 years, $600 million. A former teammate, also represented by Soto’s agent Scott Boras, confirmed the Blue Jays’ strong interest.
When asked about the rumors following the Yankees’ ALDS win over the Royals, Soto said, “I don’t know anything about that. They can’t talk to me now. Let’s see what happens in the offseason.”
The Athletic’s Tim Britton estimates Soto could secure a deal around 14 years, $560 million. Soto’s outstanding season — with a 7.8 WAR, 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a .989 OPS — places him among the top players in MLB, despite teammate Aaron Judge overshadowing him in the AL MVP race.
As the Yankees prepare for the ALCS, Soto remains a key player to watch both on the field and in the offseason free agent market.