Blue Jays first to meet with prize free agent Juan Soto: report
Other teams reportedly in the running to meet with Soto include the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
After missing out on Shohei Ohtani last offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly targeting Juan Soto as their next big acquisition. ESPN's Jeff Passan notes that the Blue Jays are expected to be the first team to meet with Soto this week in California.
The team is eager to add another superstar alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to bolster their lineup and improve their chances of contending for the postseason in 2025.
Soto, who is considered one of the best players in baseball, enters free agency at just 26 years old, a rare age for such a high-caliber player to hit the market.
His next contract is expected to be historic, potentially surpassing the $600 million range and breaking records for both length and value in MLB contracts.
The longest current deal is Fernando Tatis Jr.'s 14-year, $340 million deal, while Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract remains the most expensive.
Other teams reportedly in the running to meet with Soto include the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Tampa Bay Rays are also mentioned as a possibility, though it remains uncertain whether they would be able to meet Soto's expected price tag given their smaller budget.
Soto had a standout season with the Yankees after being traded from the San Diego Padres in December 2023.
In his first year with New York, he hit .288/.419/.569, with a career-high 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and 128 runs scored, helping the Yankees win the AL East title. However, they lost to Ohtani and the Dodgers in the World Series.
Soto's path to free agency follows a successful career that began with the Washington Nationals in 2018, where he won a World Series in 2019, before being traded to the Padres in 2022.