Juan Soto is eyeing a historic $700 million MLB free agency contract

Top free agent hitter Juan Soto’s new magic number is estimated to be $700 million (or more) – and that’s a solid $700 million, not the record $700 million, 97 percent deferred contract that the Dodgers’ Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani received.

Rumor has it that within two hours of the Yankees losing the World Series to Ohtani’s Dodgers in their Game 5 debacle, eight rival teams registered with interest, and by Thursday morning that number had risen to eleven. And while teams aren’t allowed to talk in dollars, $700 million has been floating around for days even before his free agency can begin.

Soto was said to enjoy his year with the Yankees (even if he wasn’t exactly effusive after Game 5), and the Yankees see him as a “great guy,” not just an all-time great player. But even they assume the contract and money will be the first priority (along with winning) when he decides where to play for the next thirteen years. (The Yankees appear to be resigning to be 13, but since he aims to play into his 40s, 14 could be the minimum he’s looking for. If he gets $700 million for 14 years, that would become baseball’s first non-deferred $50 million per year player.)

The recent history of the Yankees suggests that they are not market setters. They re-signed homegrown great Aaron Judge, but only by matching the Giants’ initial $360 million offer, and only after club owner Hal Steinbrenner made a split decision under him. So there’s some skepticism within Soto’s camp about whether the Yankees will ultimately pull this off for a non-homegrown player.

The Yankees aren’t acting like they have an obligation to cap Judge’s $40 million salary. Instead, they’re much more interested in keeping baseball’s most dynamic left-right fighting duo together. Judge’s priority is to keep winning, not maintain the franchise’s salary record, and while Soto stuck to the script and said all 30 teams have equal opportunity, his presence in the lineup/clubhouse is seen as a plus.

While the Yankees are the highest-revenue team in their league, the better-performing Crosstown Mets, with MLB’s richest owner Steve Cohen, who is expected to choose Soto, and the well-managed Dodgers, whose financial condition improved with the income. -generating an Ohtani deal, also have the resources.

Big-market teams like the Giants, Blue Jays and Red Sox are expected to check in, and it’s shocking that two small-market teams have already done so. Some are selling Soto for being their franchise guy, compared to the Yankees, where it’s expected to be Judge’s team, or the Dodgers (Ohtani’s team). But there is no belief that this is important to Soto.

The Yankees (and Mets) may have a geographic advantage, and the Dodgers are wondering. But rumor has it that Soto was “heading” for a potential deal in San Diego in 2023 before beloved Padres owner Peter Seidler fell ill and passed away.

While the numbers on that potential Padres deal are not publicly known, it is believed that it would have been huge. Seidler was determined to win and be extremely generous, and Soto is certainly aware of those numbers. So anything below that potential deal coming through free agency and after Soto’s monster season in New York (41 home runs, .989 OPS) could be taken as an insult, according to a Soto confidant.

A Soto teammate said he believes Soto can basically name his price. But how can he get more than the impossibly talented international superstar Ohtani, whose contract is valued at $437.4 million? The reason is age. Soto turned 26 last Friday.

Soto stuck to script after the disheartening loss that declared the Dodgers world champions, saying no team has any advantage entering this derby. The media tried, but he wouldn’t budge.

“We will be available for every team. I feel like every team has the same opportunity,” Soto said after Game 5. “I don’t want to say anyone has the advantage because at the end of the day we’re going to look at what we have and how much they want me as much as they want.”

Although Soto did not inform the Yankees that they would enter this free agent derby at an advantage, friends say he especially enjoyed his time in New York. He’s a happy guy who doesn’t complain or shake hands much, but he let people know that he enjoyed the clubhouse and clubhouse leader Judge.

“I am very happy with the city, with the team. But in the end we will see,” he said. “We are going to look at every situation, every offer and make a decision from there.”

There are free agent shockers (see Alex Rodriguez and Texas), but a good friend said he would still guess the Yankees, Mets or Dodgers – not an unreasonable bet, considering they have a bright future and the most financial power.