The New York Yankees are entering the defining stages of the Juan Soto sweepstakes.
Theoretically, there are still five teams in play for the star slugger: the Yankees, the New York Mets, the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In reality, two teams are starting to separate from the pack: the Mets and the Yankees.
Both of them, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman, have increased their offers and are in the $710-$730 million range.
That would crush last year’s record for largest contract, established by Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers.
Heyman reports that the Mets offer is better, but the Yankees’ is right there.
“Heyman says the Mets offer is believed to be slightly higher than the Yankees right now, but the Yankees are “within shouting distance,” Talkin’ Yanks posted on X.
It’s clear by now that the Mets can and probably will finish with the highest offer for Soto.
However, that doesn’t mean the Yankees are necessarily losers in this race.
They will have hope until Soto makes his decision.
There is a chance that if the two proposals remain close, Soto ends up staying in the Bronx.
It’s not a given, though, and there is also the chance the Mets blow everyone out of the water because they have the financial flexibility to go higher and higher.
In any case, we are getting closer to a definition, and there is a chance we enter the Winter Meetings on Monday knowing where Soto will play