With the ink finally dry on Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract, there is plenty of buzz and excitement in the Big Apple discussing just how far the New York Mets can go with Soto on their roster.
There’s no doubt that Steve Cohen wanted Soto badly and got his man regardless of the cost. Cohen was willing to outbid everyone and pull out all the stops to lure Soto away from the crosstown rival New York Yankees. A new era of baseball has arrived in Queens, and the ceiling for what the Mets can accomplish with Soto on board is unlimited.
Only one’s imagination can stop the endless possibilities. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at some of the possibilities that could come true during Soto’s tenure with the New York Mets for the next 15 years after signing his historic contract.
The Mets add a pitching superstar
Cohen and general manager David Stearns certainly addressed the team’s lineup this winter. They created a new dynamic duo in the Big Apple, with Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto hitting back-to-back for the foreseeable future.
Yet, while their offense is going to be elite as long as these two are in the lineup, the team’s pitching rotation leaves quite a bit to be desired. The Mets can address this almost immediately by making a splash signing and international free agency. Roki Sasaki is a young Japanese phenom who might just have one of the most electrifying arms on the planet.
At just 22 years old, Sasaki is not coming to the United States as a true free agent the way that Yoshinobu Yamamoto did last year, but rather, he’s coming over to America under the amateur international free agency rules, similar to the situation several years ago with Shohei Ohtani.
Amateur international free agents such as Sasaki, Ohtani, and the countless teenagers from Latin America who come to the US every year face strict contractual limits in terms of salary and signing bonus maximums on what they can sign in their first professional contract.
The Mets are going to be able to make a competitive offer that will stand up with any of the other deals Sasaki can hope to receive in free agency, but they won’t have the competitive advantage of Cohen’s seemingly unlimited bank accounts. Signing with the Mets will give Sasaki a chance to compete immediately, though. That could be enough to win him over.
The Mets win 100+ games
The Mets won 89 games last year and just added a player who typically racks up between five and 10 wins above replacement per season. If the Mets re-sign Alonso and run it back with the majority of last year’s core group, along with the new addition of Soto, the Mets will be in a great position to make a run at winning 100 or more games if just a couple of lucky breaks go their way.
Soto helped boost the Yankees’ win total in a significant way in 2024 after the disaster that was the 2023 season. There’s no reason he can’t have a similar impact in Queens.
Juan Soto wins MVP in 2025
Related New York Mets NewsArticle continues below
Soto just had the best season of his career in 2024 while batting ahead of superstar slugger Aaron Judge, and he could be even better with the situation he’ll find himself enjoying this season. The most likely lineup for the Mets will feature Soto hitting behind Lindor and ahead of Alonso. This will give Soto protection both ahead of him and behind him, making it nearly impossible for any team to get around the 26-year-old former World Series champion.
This represents an incredible opportunity for Soto, who should have an even better performance than last year. That will put him in a great spot to earn MVP votes and win the prestigious award for the first time in his illustrious career.
Pete Alonso is re-signed
Alonso enjoyed a breakout rookie season, and the team has benefited from the slugger’s presence throughout the years. However, Alonso is now a free agent and it’s far from certain that he will re-sign with the Mets this winter. Despite Cohen’s endless financial resources, it’s understandable that Stearns and Cohen might not want to dish out another massive deal, the likes of which would be required to keep Alonso in town.
Letting him go right after signing Soto would be a massive mistake, though. Soto and Lindor will form a lethal combination when penciled into the Mets lineup back-to-back, but the team still needs one more feared slugger hitting behind Soto to give him protection and prevent opposing hurlers from just pitching around the 26-year-old superstar.
This is where Alonso comes into play. The trio of Lindor, Soto, and Alonso would be nearly impossible for opposing teams to navigate without making a mistake and letting one of the three do massive damage. In addition, Lindor is a switch hitter, Soto is a left-handed batter, and Alonso hits right-handed.
The Mets win not one, not two, but three or more championships
Of course, Cohen is an investor by nature and he didn’t sign Soto to this massive deal without expecting anything in return. Cohen’s goal is to bring the Mets back to relevance and win multiple championships over the next decade. Soto is going to be a big part of those teams, and the franchise will need him at his best.
If Soto lives up to his potential in Queens, the Mets should be able to win multiple championships. They’ll have an elite lineup that will keep them in contention at all times. If Stearns adds a few impact arms and everything falls into place and clicks for the Mets, they will have all the ingredients to cook up a dynasty.
