Revealed: Juan Soto’s request to Yankees declined, but Mets granted him before signing historic $765 million deal

It has been revealed that the New York Yankees refused to provide Juan Soto with a free VIP suite at Yankee Stadium during the blockbuster contract negotiations that ended with him signing with the rival Mets.

Soto signed the largest contract in sports history this week, moving from the Bronx to Queens on a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets.

Multiple media outlets reported that the Yankees had $760 million on the line, but their 2024 superstar opted to sign with their rival instead – and another possible reason for the about-face has now been revealed.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees balked at Soto’s request for a free VIP suite at Yankee Stadium, which the Mets were only too happy to oblige.

In fact, it’s been claimed that Mets owner Steve Cohen “didn’t think twice about accepting” when trying to add the generational talent to his already talented roster.

At Citi Field, suites cost between $3,250 and $13,000 for a single game, according to the Post, meaning they could provide Soto with up to an additional $1 million per season for free.

Juan Soto reportedly asked for a free VIP suite at Yankee Stadium – but was turned down

Mets owner Steve Cohen (pictured) was happy to oblige and “didn’t think twice.”

Across the river, at Yankee Stadium, people like Aaron Judge are still forced to pay for VIP suites for their families every game, and owner Hal Steinbrenner didn’t want to set a precedent by allowing Soto to skirt the rules .

According to Heyman, the Yankees were willing to offer Soto a discount, but wouldn’t go all out and give him the suite for free.

In the end, Soto rejected the Yankees’ $760 million offer and signed with the Mets for $765 million – and the aforementioned free VIP suite.

He will join a star-studded roster competing for its first World Series title in 2025, including Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil, Mark Vientos and Starling Marte.

Incredibly, Soto’s 15-year contract will actually make him $4.25 million every month, nearly $1 million a week, about $140,000 a day, $6,000 an hour, and almost $100 per minute saved over the term of the contract.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner reportedly didn’t want to set a precedent with Soto’s suite

Earlier this year, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift sat in one of Yankee Stadium’s VIP suites

A bevy of amateur accountants did the math on social media after reports of the deal first surfaced. The exact numbers differed somewhat, however, as Soto’s deal can grow to as much as $805 million with incentives, a source told the AP.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement, first reported by the New York Post, was the subject of a successful physical examination.

Soto’s agreement is the largest and longest in Major League Baseball history, surpassing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers signed last December. That agreement included $680 million in deferred payments, putting baseball’s luxury tax at just under $46.1 million a year.

Soto’s agreement does not include any deferred funds, the person said, leaving the average annual value at $51 million. His term exceeds Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year contract with San Diego that runs through 2034.