Former Padres Star Juan Soto Makes Announcement That Sends Baseball World Into Frenzy

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 26, 2024

Oct 24, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) speaks to media during workout day at Dodgers Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Dressed in a suit, Juan Soto took a seat in front of a handful of microphones ready to give his highly-anticipated announcement.

With a twist.

The baseball world is on the edge of its collective seat waiting for the All-Star outfielder to announce which team he will sign his next contract with, but in this video, Soto tricks everyone by putting a hat on revealing his new affiliate with the popular energy drink, Celsius.

“The announcement you’ve been waiting for,” Soto, 26, wrote on Instagram, including a video of him at a press conference announcing that he joined Celsius as a brand partner Tuesday. “What? You were waiting for a different announcement?”

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A post shared by Juan José Soto Pacheco (@juansoto_25)

Some fans have created a conspiracy theory that the colors of the microphone reflect his next team. However, the colors reflect several of the teams vying for his signature on the dotted line.

MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi reports that five teams have officially submitted offers to Juan Soto's camp, backing an earlier report from Randy Miller of NJ.com. According to Morosi, the teams in the mix are the Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Dodgers, and Soto's current team, the Yankees.

Soto has already had in-person meetings with representatives from all five teams, which were reportedly introductory.

While the specifics of the offers remain undisclosed, Soto is anticipated to land one of the most significant contracts in baseball history.

Acquired by the Yankees in a blockbuster trade with the Padres last December, Soto had one of his strongest seasons, posting a .288 batting average with 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, 128 runs scored, 129 walks, a .989 OPS, and a 178 OPS+ across 157 games. His performance earned him a third-place finish in the 2024 AL MVP voting, behind teammate Aaron Judge and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

In the postseason, Soto delivered a stellar 1.102 OPS with four home runs, including a game-changing three-run shot in the 10th inning of the ALCS clincher against the Guardians. That blast secured the Yankees’ first AL pennant since 2009.

At just 26 years of age, Soto is about to breathe rarified air hitting the open market for the first time.

Since making his MLB debut with the Nationals at just 19 years old in 2018, the left-handed slugger has been on a Hall of Fame trajectory. By age 25, he became one of only seven players in MLB history to hit at least 200 home runs while maintaining an OPS+ of 150 or higher.