Inside The Mets

Juan Soto's Mets Decision 'Pushed Over the Finish Line' by This Factor

The New York Mets set themselves apart when pursuing Juan Soto because of this.

Grant Young

Dec 12, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto shakes hands with team owner Steve Cohen in front of general manager David Stearns during a press conference at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto shakes hands with team owner Steve Cohen in front of general manager David Stearns during a press conference at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Every New York Mets fan knows by now that superstar slugger Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract (which is the largest deal in sports history) with the Mets on December 8.

In the days and weeks leading up to this seismic signing, the sentiment was that Soto was prioritizing money when making his free agency decision.

However, given that the Mets and cross-town rival Yankees essentially offered him the same amount of money (the Yankees offered Soto $760 million on a 16-year deal), Soto surely weighed other factors along with money to make his final decision.

And a December 24 article by The New York Post's Christian Arnold reveals which additional factor likely influenced Soto's choice.

"It’s becoming increasingly evident that Juan Soto’s decision to sign with the Mets was pushed over the finish line by the Amazin’s emphasis on family and what they could do to welcome the superstar slugger’s crew into the fold," Arnold wrote.

According to The Post’s Jon Heyman, the Mets provided family perks rarely if ever seen in player contracts. Included along with the previously reported suite at Citi Field for 15 years were four “premium” tickets and security for the family. According to the contract summary obtained by The Post, Soto is to receive 'luxury suite for all home games, four premium seats for all home games, security for player and family at home and on the road and family services.'"

Arnold then went on to add, "It isn’t clear what 'family services' refers to but there’s no evidence Soto or his family is receiving airplane benefits or clothes, as has been reported elsewhere."

Clearly the Mets emphasized family in their free agency pitch, which might have been what brought Soto to Queens.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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