The Rays are among the many groups which have reached out to Juan Soto’s camp because the opening of free company final week, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Put up. Heyman lists a a lot much less stunning extra six groups which have proven curiosity: the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays and Pink Sox.
The mere point out of the Rays as a attainable Soto suitor goes to be met with loads of skepticism. It’d be a shock in the event that they made a official push for the market’s prime free agent. The Rays have tried to land an elite free agent at the least as soon as earlier than, as they reportedly made a proposal within the $150MM vary to Freddie Freeman earlier than he signed with the Dodgers. That wasn’t too far off the value Freeman in the end landed, however any gives to Soto could be in a special stratosphere. He ought to handily prime $500MM and will safe a contract between $600MM and $700MM.
Whereas it’s truthful to imagine the Rays themselves aren’t optimistic about their probabilities, that is illustrative that they’ve some cash to at the least dabble in the course of free company. The Rays opened this previous season with a payroll round $98MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. They’ve bought rather less than $40MM in assured commitments for subsequent yr (assuming Wander Franco stays on the restricted listing and isn’t paid). Their arbitration class is projected round $25MM, although they might knock that to the $15MM vary with a number of non-tenders. Trades of Brandon Lowe or Yandy Díaz would subtract one other $10.5MM or $10MM, respectively.
None of that’s to say they need to be perceived as a practical menace to the big-market groups on Soto. They’ll most likely be extra lively in free company than many followers would possibly count on given their common spending habits, although. One other mid-tier strike akin to the $40MM Zach Eflin deal from two offseasons in the past may very well be on the desk. Any free agent pursuits are difficult by their unsure stadium state of affairs after Tropicana Discipline was severely broken by Hurricane Milton.
The opposite groups identified to have some curiosity in Soto are all anticipated. The Yankees and Mets are broadly perceived because the favorites. The Dodgers are at the least tied to just about each free agent of word. The information that Mookie Betts is probably going transferring again to the center infield goes to gasoline hypothesis about L.A. making a run at Soto. Giants baseball operations president Buster Posey has spoken about desirous to land a star. The Blue Jays had been within the working for Shohei Ohtani final winter. The Pink Sox have indicated they may very well be extra lively in free company than they’ve been over the previous few winters, though a splash within the rotation market appears a lot likelier than them touchdown Soto.
The New York Put up reported final week that 11 groups had been involved with Soto’s reps on the Boras Company on the primary day of the offseason. That leaves at the least 4 unknown golf equipment, although Heyman casts some doubt on the Nationals and Cubs as potentialities. Heyman means that Washington is unlikely to spend on the degree essential to carry Soto again. He writes that Chicago’s offseason plans are extra geared in direction of pitching for the time being.
Soto’s free company ought to carry for a number of weeks. USA At this time’s Bob Nightengale wrote this afternoon that the four-time All-Star plans to have an in-person assembly with the possession group of every workforce making a critical pursuit.
