The Rays are among the many groups which have reached out to Juan Soto’s camp for the reason that opening of free company final week, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Put up. Heyman lists a a lot much less shocking 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 authentic push for the market’s high free agent. The Rays have tried to land an elite free agent at the very least as soon as earlier than, as they reportedly made a suggestion within the $150MM vary to Freddie Freeman earlier than he signed with the Dodgers. That wasn’t too far off the worth Freeman in the end landed, however any affords to Soto can be in a special stratosphere. He ought to handily high $500MM and will safe a contract between $600MM and $700MM.
Whereas it’s honest to imagine the Rays themselves aren’t optimistic about their probabilities, that is illustrative that they’ve some cash to at the very 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 received rather less than $40MM in assured commitments for subsequent 12 months (assuming Wander Franco stays on the restricted record and isn’t paid). Their arbitration class is projected round $25MM, although they may knock that to the $15MM vary with just a few 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 sensible menace to the big-market groups on Soto. They’ll most likely be extra lively in free company than many followers would possibly anticipate given their normal spending habits, although. One other mid-tier strike akin to the $40MM Zach Eflin deal from two offseasons in the past could possibly be on the desk. Any free agent pursuits are difficult by their unsure stadium scenario after Tropicana Area was severely broken by Hurricane Milton.
The opposite groups identified to have some curiosity in Soto are all anticipated. The Yankees and Mets are extensively perceived because the favorites. The Dodgers are at the very least tied to just about each free agent of notice. The information that Mookie Betts is probably going shifting 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 eager to land a star. The Blue Jays had been within the operating for Shohei Ohtani final winter. The Pink Sox have indicated they could possibly 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 in touch with Soto’s reps on the Boras Company on the primary day of the offseason. That leaves at the very 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 the direction of pitching in the intervening time.
Soto’s free company ought to carry for a number of weeks. USA Right now’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 group making a critical pursuit.
