Juan Soto will take his time studying the free agent market before signing with a team, according to his agent Scott Boras.
Speaking at general managers’ meetings Wednesday, Boras said Soto wanted to do a “thorough” look at the market before making a decision.
“Due to the volume of interest and Juan’s desire to hear [les équipes]I can’t set a time frame, but it will be a very thorough process for him, Boras said. He wants to meet people personally. He wants to speak with them. He wants to hear from them. »
Soto’s intentions also apply to the New York Yankees, for whom he played in 2024 and with whom he hit 41 home runs and 128 RBIs. Soto helped lead New York to the World Series, but that doesn’t necessarily give the Yankees a leg up on other teams.
“He wants to play with a team that will allow him to win every year,” Boras said. The owners want to meet Juan, sit down and discuss with him what they are going to offer their franchise in the short and long term. »
Soto’s potential contract could be the second highest in history after Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter.
Boras declined to compare the two players, but pointed out that Soto’s age (26) was a distinguishing factor for his client. At the time of his independence, Ohtani was 29 years old.
“I don’t think Ohtani has much to do with Juan Soto,” Boras said. He belongs to an age category that separates them. »
Both New York teams have already spoken to Boras, although there are a handful of other big-market franchises that could be in play for his services, including the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.
Boras and Soto are only at the beginning of what could be a long-term process. One thing that is positive for the player, according to Boras, is that Soto is “pretty well known” given that he has already been on three teams and has played in 43 playoff games in addition to reaching the World Series twice.
In his agent’s eyes, any winning team should be interested. ” These are [des dirigeants d’équipe] called to become championship magicians. Behind every great magician is the magician Juan. »
