MLB insider believes money wasn’t the deciding factor in Juan Soto picking Mets over Yankees

In a way, Juan Soto didn’t do the same what Alex Rodriguez did in 2004. Rodriguez was traded to a team already having a bonafide star, Derek Jeter, but four time All-Star Soto chose not to return to the New York Yankees knowing it’s Aaron Judge’s country.

When the Mets upgraded their offer to a 15-year, $765 million deal, Joel Sherman and Andy Martino reported that Soto’s agent Scott Boras went back to the Yankees to enquire if they would match it. The Yankees, whose best offer to Soto was reportedly around 16 years, $760 million, decided not to do so.

Michael Kay brought this point to the fore, saying Soto picked a few extra millions over re-joining Judge in the Bronx. However, Passan thinks otherwise, saying the money wasn’t the deciding factor and that the future of the Mets is brighte compared to the Yankees, especially with the deep-pocketed Steve Cohen at the helm.

“I don’t believe, when you compare the contracts side by side, that money was the deciding factor,” Passan said Monday on the Michael Kay Show.

“I just don’t think it was the most significant part of this. Alex is not Juan, and Juan is not Alex. Alex Rodriguez was a better player than Juan Soto in his prime. I think it’s fair to say that he was a better player, though maybe not so much better.

“That said, I don’t think comparing an offer that didn’t materialize with the Marlins and suggesting that Juan Soto was chasing the money aligns with reality, because the financial offers were very similar. I think the real question is about the future of these two franchises.”

Jeff Passan bullish on Juan Soto’s Mets spending “considerably more” than Yankees in next 15 years

Jeff Passan added to the conversation that current Mets owner Steve Cohen will considerably spend more than Hal Steinbrenner’s Yankees in the next 15 years, which may have potentially led Juan Soto to sign in the Queens.

“The Mets are likely to carry higher payrolls into the future because they’re operating differently,” Passan added. “Cohen, a passionate fan, wants to win and is willing to spend heavily, while the Yankees run as a disciplined business. I’m not saying money buys championships—it doesn’t. But money does buy opportunity.

“Over the next 15 years, as long as Steve Cohen owns the Mets, I believe they’ll spend considerably more than the Yankees … Juan Soto, who is a smart player, understands that teams with resources are generally more likely to win than teams that operate more conservatively.”

Had Juan Soto returned to the Yankees, he would have earned $47.5 million annual salary as compared to the Mets’ $51 million. Moreover, with the Mets, he has also earned a signing bonus of $75 million, while the Yankees were willing to offer him $60 million.