One item I saw last week was that (before the lockout obviously) Juan Soto was offered a $350,000,000 contract that would have kept him with the Nationals through his age 36 season…and that he did not sign it. I didn’t post anything about it immediately as (1) I wasn’t sure what to make of it—why it was announced last week, over two months into the lockout, (2) whether I care, (3) what it means for Soto’s future.
Soto, of course, isn’t even arbitration eligible until after this season, or free agent eligible until 2025. If he does go through arbitration next offseason, money records are likely to fall. Yet, $350M is a really big commitment from the team and a lot of risk seeing as the money is guaranteed but Soto being healthy isn’t. It’s also more than he will make via arbitration but not necessarily arbitration plus shorter free agency deals. It’s worth remembering that Scott Boras is his agent, and he generally advises his high end clients to at least test free agency to maximize income. Juan Soto for his part is saying the right things about wanting to play his whole career with the Nationals, but we know that’s just talk for now.
I’m still not sure why this was released when it was, nor whether it was the right decision to not sign the deal but…I’m pretty sure I’d have signed it, Not that he’s wrong to decline it, I just think I couldn’t turn down $350M guaranteed.
Fan Interference 
There was a pitcher for the Angels named Jared Weaver. Long time rotation #1. Three career top five Cy Young voted, topping out at #2. If I remember the numbers correctly, he signed a contract of about $75 million the year before he would have become a free agent. Wanted to stay with the team. Didn’t want distractions. He got a lot of fan support for his loyalty and lack of greed.
My first thought on reading your opening sentence was “Who leaked it?” Greedy owners, I thought, trying to make the players look greedy. I thought of Scarlett Johansen’s dispute with Marvel/Disney, and the heavy-handed attempt to make HER look greedy when THEY have collected basically all the money in the universe while riding on her back.
My next thought was Boras leaked it. If one team was willing to pay that much before the lockdown, that team must believe the market will be opening up quite a bit.
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I have to admit I did not think about greed. With the starting point being $350M, my thought was a stunned “huh?” I’ve no doubt Boras thinks Soto will make a lot more money as long as he stays healthy. As for me, I would sign because I admit I do like money, but am risk averse—and know I could not turn down guaranteed lottery money.
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