Juan Soto agrees to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets

The New York Mets and superstar outfielder Juan Soto agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract, considered the most lucrative deal in team sports history.

ESPN first reported Soto’s decision to leave Yankee Stadium for Citi Field on Sunday night, and a source familiar with the negotiations confirmed to NBC News the details of Soto’s massive contact that now makes him one of the biggest names in professional sports.

A year ago Monday, Generations star Shohei Ohtani announced he had signed a $700 million contract for a short geographic move from the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim to the Dodgers, who play in downtown LA

Soto’s move from the Bronx to Queens marks another bold move by Mets ownership to emerge from the massive shadow of the nearby Yankees.

Mets owner Steve Cohen has never been afraid to open his checkbook, spending an MLB-high $341.8 million on his 40-man roster during the 2024 season, according to Baseball Prospectus.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor is playing on a 10-year, $341 million contract. Cohen had spent $130 million on Max Scherzer and $86.7 million on Justin Verlander before shipping away both big-name pitchers in 2023.

That season, the Mets rebounded from a 24-35 start to make the playoffs and oust the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.

The NL East club had a strong offense and scored 768 runs, the seventh most in baseball. Soto’s arrival should bolster the Mets’ offense or at least soften the blow that may come from losing first baseman Pete Alonso to free agency.

Soto’s departure could be a major setback for the AL champion Yankees, who lost the World Series in five games to the Dodgers in October.

The Yankees had the third-best offense in baseball this year, scoring 815 runs with a top-heavy lineup that now suddenly lacks a key contributor.

Soto drove in 109 runs for the Yankees, forming a strong trio with American League MVP Aaron Judge (144) and Giancarlo Stanton (72).

But they were the only three Bombers with at least 72 RBIs, while the champion Dodgers had five batters with at least 75 RBIs. The Mets had five hitters with at least 69 RBIs in 2024.

The Mets have won two World Series (1969 and 1986) since their history began in 1962.

And while that pair of titles represents two of baseball’s most iconic teams of the 20th century – the Miracle Mets and the dominant 1986 squad – the Mets have long struggled to overcome the long shadow cast by the 27-time champion Yankees.

Soto’s addition is the Mets’ most aggressive move yet to steal the Big Apple spotlight from the Yankees.

The 26-year-old Soto was undoubtedly this winter’s most sought-after free agent, valued as much for his elite baseball skills as his birthdate.

Baseball players must complete six years of MLB service before being allowed to fully test free agency. Those half-dozen years of club control and below-market salaries can be an incentive to sign free agents who are reaching or have already passed their peak in their 30s.

Soto burst into the big leagues as a 19-year-old phenom, ticking the free agency clock at a young age and offering bidders a rare chance to scoop up a player who still had so many good years left in his career.

This season, he hit a career-best 41 home runs (fourth-most) and 109 RBIs (sixth-most).

Soto is also one of the most disciplined and patient hitters in baseball, as he drew walks in 18.1% of his plate appearances, compared to MLB’s overall rate of 8.4% in 2024.

And in an era when baseball was all about hitting the ball, he hit just 16.7% of the time, while the league averaged just 22.2% this season.