Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to imagine Soto skipping over to the crosstown rival after playing such a pivotal role in getting the New York Yankees to the World Series.
Yet money still talks, and the Mets still have a lot of it. Soto’s new deal is expected to be around $600 million, per Heyman.
ESPN’s Buster Olney predicted on the Baseball Tonight podcast that Soto will land with the Mets, regardless if the Yankees win, citing the enthusiasm from Mets owner Steve Cohen. Olney accurately points out that signing Soto would be the ultimate way to feed that enthusiasm, calling it “a blank check situation.”
The Mets will certainly show interest in Burnes, widely considered the best pitcher on the free-agent market.
MLB.com Orioles beat reporter Jake Rill predicted Burnes would land with the Mets. Meanwhile, Mets beat reporter Anthony DiComo predicted a return to the Orioles.
It shows how competitive this could be, and if it comes down to a bidding war, the Mets have to like their chances.
This would differ from signing an aging Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander, potentially acquiring a 29-year-old former Cy Young winner in his prime in Burnes.
It’s a similar logic with Burnes, but think of Snell as more of a backup plan. As B/R colleague Zachary D. Rymer points out, the Mets have never been at the forefront of Snell’s sweepstakes, either in free agency or via trade.
But he is available and would be useful to the starting pitching needy Mets, who at least checked in with the Giants about Snell ahead of the deadline.
There was no traction with the Giants reportedly looking for top prospects in return for the rental, but this round of free agency presents a different conversation.
Read the full article here
