Mets Signing Juan Soto Is Not Bad for Philadelphia Phillies Like Fans Might Think

The New York Mets signed Juan Soto, the biggest name on the market this winter and one of the best hitters in the sport, but that's not as bad for the Philadelphia Phillies as fans might think.

Oct 29, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) on third base during the first inning in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Mets made the biggest splash this offseason with their 15-year, $765 million deal to sign free-agent superstar outfielder Juan Soto.

He was the prize of the market, and rightfully so, as for the entirety of his career he has been one of the best hitters in MLB.

The signing is not as bad for the Philadelphia Phillies as fans might think, however.

Soto has had his share of success against the Phillies in his career, coming up with the Washington Nationals and playing 77 games against the club. He has batted .292/.425/.556 in those contests across 346 plate appearances with 19 home runs and 60 RBI.

That success will likely continue since the superstar is one of the best hitters in the sport.

But, at an AAV of $51 million per year, Soto puts the Mets' 2025 payroll at $204 million before considering arbitration-eligible players. With Spotrac's arbitration estimates factored in, their payroll becomes $231 million.

Outside of Soto, the strength of their lineup comes from Francisco Lindor, who has failed to be consistently productive at the plate throughout his career, and Mark Vientos who had a strong 2024, but has yet replicate that over multiple years.

Beyond those three, there is a steep decline in offensive production.

Fangraphs' projections have the remainder of their lineup consisting of three guys who posted OPS's above .700 in 2024, and the other three posting figures below .700.

It is now also highly unlikely that they re-sign slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, who has provided the bulk of New York's power throughout his career.

On the pitching side, they signed Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes to bolster their rotation that will lose Sean Manaea in free agency and has already lost Luis Severino.

It now consists of Kodai Senga, who has been lights out when healthy but does require the "when healthy" qualifier, Montas who has pitched to a 4.09 ERA when healthy, David Peterson who has pitched to a 4.08 ERA when healthy, Holmes who has made four starts in his career, and Paul Blackburn who has pitched to a 4.85 ERA when healthy.

It is not a pitching staff that strikes fear in the hearts of many, if any hitters, and the National League East is chock full of batters that strike fear in the hearts of pitchers.

While the Mets have shown no aversion to spending big in free agency, the pitching market is very top-heavy.

At their current payroll, it is highly unlikely that they add Corbin Burnes to the fold, and it is far more likely this group is the rotation they will go with heading into 2025.

While working with an oft-injured rotation worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, and they are doubling down on that in 2025, New York resides in a much tougher division that is only getting stronger.

The Atlanta Braves will be far better than they were in 2024, a year that saw them reach the postseason with their two best players, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider, on the shelf, and their third-best player, Matt Olson, in the worst slump of his career.

Philadelphia still employs Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, two of the best hitters in the division perennially. They are also expected to improve other areas of need, intending to add an outfielder to improve over Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas, and a third baseman to improve over Alec Bohm.

Adding Juan Soto certainly moves the needle for the Mets, and it can go a long way toward keeping them in playoff contention, but when taking a step back to look at the construction of the rest of their roster, the signing is not as bad for the Phillies as it may have originally seemed.