'Dec. 10' Last year was Ohtani, but this year is Soto?"Announcement of the first day of the winter meeting at the latest' ESPN...There's a possibility of $700 million

Dec 06, 2024

FA's biggest fish Juan Soto is expected to make a final decision by the 10th (Korea time) at the latest. AP Yonhap News

It was on December 10 (Korea time) last year that Shohei Otani signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. AP Yonhap News

It is expected that the best contract in the history of the offseason, where all baseball fans are paying attention, may be made 'That Day'.

FA's biggest fish Juan Soto is expected to reach a conclusion as early as this weekend, as he is in final consideration over a team to play next year.

ESPN reporter Jeff Bankruptcy said of Soto's FA negotiations on the 5th (Korea time), `What we know at this point is that the final amount will exceed at least $600 million. We could probably see a contract worth more than $700 million. "We'll know what Soto's decision is no later than the start of the winter meeting in Dallas."

The Major League Winter Meeting will be held in Dallas, Texas from the 10th to the 12th. The winter meeting begins on the 10th and Monday morning on the 9th local time. So it is expected that Soto will be able to announce that he has agreed to a contract with a specific club by that point.

Tani Shohei poses alongside Chairman Mark Walter (left) and President Andrew Friedman at the LA Dodgers joining ceremony in December last year. AP Yonhap News

There is a strange moment that comes to mind when it is '10 days'. Just a year ago, on December 10, 2023, Shohei Ohtani announced himself that he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on his Instagram. Shortly after that, the Dodgers announced that they had agreed to a 10-year, $700 million contract with Ohtani. It was a day when North America turned upside down. Based on a single contract, it is the highest amount in history in all four major North American sports. The previous top contract was for 10-year, $450 million from NFL Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Exactly a year later, if Soto announces the contract on December 10 this year, the meaning will inevitably be special. In North American sports history, the No. 1 and No. 2 contract sizes will be born on the same day with a year between them. Of course, Ohtani can keep the top spot, and Soto can surpass Ohtani.

There may be differences in interpretation, but as the bankruptcy reporter mentioned, if it exceeds $600 million and reaches $700 million, it should be considered that Soto will be ranked first.

Ohtani tied 97.1% of the total to 10 years of deferrals from 2034 after the end of the contract period. Converting to the present value, the scale is bound to be drastically reduced. According to the Commissioner's Office's calculation method for imposing luxury taxes, it falls to about $460.8 million and $438 million, respectively, according to the ML player union's current calculation method.

On the other hand, local media predict that Soto will ask for all of the total amount in 'cash' without deferral of payment, and clubs are likely to accept it. Agent Scott Boras is reportedly pushing strongly for a contract without a delay in payment.

In that case, even if the total amount exceeds $500 million, it can be seen that it exceeds Ohtani in the real value of the contract. However, since it is at least $600 million, it is a fact that Ohtani has already been beaten. If it is more than $700 million, it will break Ohtani's record even with a nominal total, or 'face price'.

However, Soto's contract period is expected to be 12 to 15 years, so Ohtani may continue to remain No. 1 in average annual salary (AAV).

Huan Soto is said to have secured at least $600 million. AFP Yonhap News

Who will give such a huge amount of money. Until this day, it was a five-way race. They are the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In response, The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal reported on the 4th that the bid for Juan Soto exceeded $600 million, according to two officials in a position that could not be officially announced. In other words, all five clubs offered more than $600 million to Soto.

On the same day, Boras, who attended Blake Snell's Dodgers joining ceremony at Dodger Stadium, said, `Soto has entered the process of thinning out the candidate clubs. I can't say what kind of club it is," he said, but did not elaborate on the specific amount.

Although a contract should result, local media say that the Mets, Boston and Toronto are very close at the moment.