Juan Soto was an integral a part of the Washington Nationals’ championship run in 2019. He posted career-highs in dwelling runs (34), RBIs (110), and stolen bases (12) through the common season, then continued that strong play all through the playoffs, culminating with a .333/.438/.741 efficiency within the World Sequence, including three dwelling runs and 7 RBIs.
Although the Nationals have not sustained the identical stage of success, Soto remains to be enjoying extraordinarily effectively. In 2021, he made his first All-Star staff, received a Silver Slugger award, and completed second in MVP voting. Understandably, Washington tried to safe the 23-year-old Soto for the long-term—however he turned them down.
Earlier than the MLB lockout, the Nationals provided Soto a 13-year deal price $350 million. The contract would have began instantly and would have paid a median of about $27 million yearly till 2034. Soto could be 36 by the point it ends.
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“Sure, they made me a suggestion just a few months in the past, earlier than the lockout,” Soto informed ESPN’s Enrique Rojas. “However proper now, my brokers and I feel the most suitable choice is to go 12 months by 12 months and wait totally free company. My agent, Scott Boras, has management over the state of affairs.”
$350 million is definitely greater than sufficient to be set for all times. It is the third-highest contract in MLB historical past. Solely Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers (12 years, $365 million) and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels (10 years, $360 million) have obtained bigger gives.
But Soto mentioned no to the $350 million, believing he can rating a good higher deal. And you realize what? He may be proper.
The deal from the Nationals did not embody any deferred cash. Soto, who hits free company in 2024, could be buying and selling in the remainder of his present deal for a brand new one. Close to the top of final season, Spotrac projected Soto’s subsequent contract to be 15 years and $503 million. He might presumably end out this present deal earlier than signing his subsequent contract, or at the least get some deferred cash, and nonetheless surpass half a billion {dollars}.
Soto did say he’d prefer to proceed his profession in Washington, so it is doable he finally ends up signing a long-term deal in a 12 months or two anyway. For now, he may be the one participant in MLB historical past who can say he turned down $350 million—and felt completely okay about doing so.
