MLB free agency is upon us, with the league’s winter meetings kicking things off in earnest on Monday in Dallas. The name on everyone’s lips is Juan Soto, but he’s not the only free agent who has a big decision to make this winter.
Here’s a quick look at where things stand so far this offseason:
It’s Juan Soto to the New York Mets via the richest known deal in the history of sports.
The former New York Yankees slugger received the most anticipated payday of the offseason, agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract last season previously stood as the richest in sports history. But his record stood for only one year. And unlike Ohtani’s deal, Soto’s reportedly includes no deferred money and has escalators that can inflate the contract’s value to $800 million.
Since the end of the World Series, the pitching market has been active, headlined by the Dodgers and Blake Snell agreeing to a five-year, $182 million deal. The Mets and Frankie Montas are also in agreement on a two-year, $34 million deal, while the A’s signed Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal — the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history.
Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki will reportedly be posted during this week’s winter meetings, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. His posting will open a 45-day window, which is expected to begin Tuesday, for MLB teams to sway the 23-year-old talent to sign when the international amateur signing period opens Jan. 15.
Waiting until 2025 will carry significant financial benefits for both Sasaki and his current team, the Chiba Lotte Marines of NPB. The international bonus pools reset when the new signing period starts in 2025, with every team having between $5 million and $8 million. Sasaki will get more money by waiting, and that matters to the Marines because the posting fee they receive will be 20% of his signing bonus.
Required reading:
Follow along with Yahoo Sports as we track all the rumors, signings and more during MLB free agency:
Live5 updates
It’s Juan Soto to the New York Mets via the richest known deal in the history of sports.
The New York Yankees slugger received the most anticipated payday of the offseason, agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets Sunday night, according to multiple reports.
For full details on the record-shattering contract, read here.
