A personal touch may have been responsible for helping Juan Soto reach a record-setting deal with the Mets

On Monday morning, several outlets announced Juan Soto’s intent to agree to terms on a massive 15-year contract worth $765 million with the New York Mets. Although it is the largest deal in MLB history, it appears as though there was more than money on the table.

In a Monday morning piece in the New York Post, insider Jon Heyman examined the nature of New York’s massive play for Soto. According to Heyman, billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen backed up the eye-watering financial sum with a personal gesture aimed at getting Juan Soto to come to Queens, writing:

“The Mets have excellent intelligence. They were aware that although Soto liked being a Yankee and loved having Aaron Judge protect him in the lineup and lead them all in the clubhouse, he allegedly was upset early in the year by an overzealous Yankees security guy who disallowed a family member and his driver/chef from certain areas.”

Heyman claimed that the New York Yankees administration was overly stringent, disallowing Soto’s kin from various areas inside Yankee Stadium. While this incident went unreported at the time, it is likely that the rigid stereotype of the Yankees’ organization rang true for Soto – ultimately affecting his decision.

In his piece, Heyman also reported how billionaire New York Mets owner Steve Cohen brought his wife, Alex, to meet with Soto. Additionally, the former financier brought Mets travel secretary Edgar Suero, who helped communicate the team’s flexibility on family logistics and other perks.

“Juan Soto signed the LARGEST contract in professional sports history!” – NBC Sports Bet

In 2024, the Mets touted a payroll of $317 million, the largest in baseball. Although several other clubs were interested, it proved too much to compete with the deep-pocketed Mets. Even the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly withdrew their offer when it became clear that they would need to pledge more than $600 million.

Juan Soto will reign supreme in Queens

Although this deal was about the money, it was not only about the money. That personal touch, combined with the possibility of Juan Soto becoming the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future, sweetened the pot. As analyst Jeff Passan wrote for ESPN on Monday:

“It’s not the only story, though. This is as much about the Mets as it is Soto — about a franchise that for its 63-year existence has lived in the shadow of its pedigreed neighbor. Not anymore.”

The era of Soto’s Mets has begun. Whether or not this otherwordly amount of money will yield the desired dividends remains to be determined.