New York Mets

As if getting $765 million from Steve Cohen wasn't enough, Juan Soto is eating great courtesy of the New York Mets owner after the four-time All-Star signed his record-breaking contract with the club.

Per TMZ Sports, Soto and his family were treated to a steak dinner at Benjamin Prime in New York City by Cohen on the same day his deal became official.

TMZ noted Soto's meal consisted of a ribeye steak with a mozzarella and tomato salad, plus a themed cake for dessert.

Per Benjamin Prime's official website, the steakhouse was founded in 2006 and specializes in offering "the quintessential New York dining experience that business executives, locals and celebrities have come to know and love."

The menu on the website doesn't list prices for the meals, but OpenTable.com noted a three-course Christmas menu available on Dec. 24-25 will run $115 per person.

The Mets gave Soto a 15-year, $765 million contract in free agency. It is the richest deal in North American pro sports history by total value, surpassing the $700 million contract Shohei Ohtani got from the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.

During his introductory press conference at Citi Field on Thursday, Soto said his goal is to try helping the Mets "grow a dynasty" that includes winning multiple World Series titles.

Soto is joining the Mets after a spectacular 2024 season with the New York Yankees. He finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288/.419/.569 with 41 homers in 157 games during the regular season.

During the Yankees' run to the World Series, Soto posted a .327/.469/.633 slash line with four homers in 14 games.

The New York Mets will reportedly retire the jersey of longtime third baseman David Wright during the 2025 MLB season.

According to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, the Mets will hold a ceremony to retire Wright's No. 5 prior to the July 19 game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field in Flushing, New York.

In addition to becoming the 10th Mets player to have his number retired, Wright will reportedly also be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame as part of the festivities.

Wright, who turns 42 on Dec. 20, is arguably the greatest position player in Mets history, having spent his entire 14-year career with the franchise.

In 1,585 regular-season games from 2004 to 2018, Wright slashed .296/.376/.491 with 242 home runs, 970 RBI, 949 runs scored, 1,777 hits, 390 doubles and 196 stolen bases.

Wright was also a seven-time All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award winner at third base.

He is the Mets' all-time leader in hits, doubles, walks, RBI and runs scored, plus he is second in home runs behind only Darryl Strawberry.

From 2005 to 2013, Wright was one the most consistent hitters in baseball, hitting .302 and averaging 23 homers, 93 RBI, 90 runs scored and 20 steals per season.

Injuries ultimately derailed what very well could have been a Hall of Fame career, as Wright was limited to 38 games and 37 games in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

He then missed the entire 2017 season due to neck and shoulder injuries before returning to play in two games in front of the home fans in 2018 ahead of retirement.

Aside from the players who were part of the Mets' World Series championship teams in 1969 and 1985, there is perhaps no more beloved player in team history than Wright.

As such, it is only fitting that he is poised to take his place among other legendary Mets who have had their jersey numbers retired in Strawberry, Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Willie Mays, Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Jerry Koosman, Keith Hernandez and Dwight Gooden.

Wright's jersey retirement promises to add even more excitement to a Mets season that already has the potential to be special.

Last season, the Mets far exceeded expectations and made it all the way to the National League Championship Series.

That prompted owner Steve Cohen to get aggressive in free agency, as he signed superstar outfielder Juan Soto away from the rival New York Yankees with a record 15-year, $765 million contract.

The Mets have built up a ton of goodwill with their fans as a result, and retiring the number of their beloved captain during the 2025 campaign will only add to it.

The New York Mets are still in contact with free-agent slugger Pete Alonso regarding a return to the organization, according to team owner Steve Cohen.

"We think he's a great Met and we're still engaged," Cohen said on Thursday, per Newsday's Tim Healey. "We hope he stays as a Met. ... He's entitled to go out, test his market and see what it is. Hopefully we'll get there."

New York appears to be turning its attention towards re-signing the first baseman after handing superstar Juan Soto a massive 15-year, $765 million contract on Sunday.

Mets general manager David Stearns also confirmed that Soto's contract wouldn't prevent a reunion with Alonso in free agency.

"I think our ownership has consistently demonstrated that there's going to be resources when we need them," Stearns told reporters on Monday. "There is the ability for us to make baseball moves when we think that they're there to improve the team and we're going to continue to pursue a wide variety of areas to continue to improve our team."

Alonso has consistently displayed his power at the plate throughout his Mets tenure, racking up 226 home runs since he made his debut with the team in 2019.

He's coming off a tumultuous 2024 season, as he hit just .232 with runners in scoring position and posted a career-low .788 OPS. Alonso also racked up 34 homers and 31 doubles.

He looked much closer to his former self in the postseason, hitting four home runs and 10 RBIs during New York's National League Championship Series run to go along with a .273/.431/.568 slash line.

The Mets certainly won't be the only ones attempting to sign him, though. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported on Wednesday that Alonso has already started meeting with several teams as he navigates through his free agency.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden projected the four-time All-Star to eventually land a seven-year, $189 million contract.

New York appears to be content with Alonso testing his market as a free agent, but Cohen confirmed that the front office is still working to bring him back to the Mets.

Newly signed New York Mets star outfielder Juan Soto had some high praise for his new team during his introductory press conference on Thursday.

When asked about why he chose to join the Mets after spending the 2024 season with the New York Yankees, Soto pointed to the team's potential to develop into a perennial contender.

"The Mets are a great organization, what they have done for the past couple years. They have shown all of the ability to keep winning, to keep growing a team to try to grow a dynasty, [which] is one of the most important things for me," Soto told reporters.

Meanwhile, the superstar opened some eyes with an apparent shot at his former team when asked if his contract makes New York a "Mets town."

"It's been a Mets town for a long time," Soto told reporters. "I think we just gotta bring it to the top. Championships are gonna tell you if it's a Yankees or a Mets town at the end of the day."

Soto, who is now the highest-paid player in professional sports history after signing a 15-year, $765 million contract that can exceed $800 million with escalators, added that he was impressed with how the Mets were committed to creating a comfortable environment for his family.

"They always talk about family, they always talk about 'stick together' and stuff like that, that's one of the things that opened my eyes," he said.

Soto also said he's been impressed with the Mets lineup while competing against them for the past few years. He had high praise for the team's leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor, who finished second in the voting for National League MVP after his stellar 2024 campaign.

"What I see from these guys, they are hard workers, they grind every day and they're showing up every day," he said. "My impression of the lineup is it's really nice, I think we have one of the best leadoff hitters in the game."

After the Mets' surprising run to the NLCS this season, adding Soto to the mix should make them instant contenders for a World Series title in 2025 and beyond.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen divulged Thursday that he did not expect superstar outfielder Juan Soto to sign with the Mets in free agency.

Speaking to ESPN's Buster Olney and Jeff Passan, Cohen said: "Usually I'm pretty good at reading the signals. This one I totally missed. [Soto's agent] Scott [Boras] called me, and I realized, 'Holy s--t. This could happen.' I didn't expect it. I had no expectations it was going to happen. I was blown away."

Cohen won a bidding war that is believed to have come down to the Mets and New York Yankees, as Soto inked a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the National League side.

The 26-year-old Soto spent parts of his first five MLB seasons with the Washington Nationals, winning a World Series in 2019. The Nats then traded him to the San Diego Padres during the 2022 campaign when it became clear they weren't going to be able to get a long-term deal done.

Following the 2023 season, the Padres traded Soto to the Yankees for a package that included pitcher Michael King, catcher Kyle Higashioka and three pitching prospects.

It was a risky deal for the Yanks since Soto was about to enter the final year of his contract, but it ended up paying dividends for both Soto and the Yankees.

In his only season in the Bronx, Soto slashed .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs, 109 RBI and 128 runs scored. He was named an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger Award and finished third in American League MVP voting.

Soto also played a huge role in the Yankees reaching the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Soto's success in pinstripes coupled with the Yankees' financial resources suggested that the Bronx Bombers would be favored to keep him, but Cohen dipped into his considerable wealth to make the Mets major players as well.

Ultimately, Soto signed the highest-dollar contract in MLB history with the Mets, giving them one of the league's top 1-2 punches in their lineup between him and shortstop Francisco Lindor.

Last season, the Mets exceeded expectations and were well ahead of schedule, as they made it all the way to the National League Championship Series where they fell to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

With Soto now in the fold, it is fair to wonder if the Mets may have the firepower needed to take down the Dodgers, who are the clear 2025 World Series favorites.

On the day his historic 15-year, $765 million contract became official, additional details of Juan Soto's deal with the New York Mets have been made available.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Soto can earn up to an extra $1 million in a season if he wins multiple MVP awards; he will get access to a luxury suite and four premium seats at Mets home games; and he will get to keep the No. 22 that he has worn throughout his MLB career.

Mets owner Steve Cohen giving Soto access to a suite at Citi Field had been known, as it was touted as a difference from the offer he received from the New York Yankees.

Heyman reported on Monday the Yankees, whose last offer to Soto was $760 million over 16 years, "wouldn't budge" on giving Soto a suite because it would set a historical precedent since Aaron Judge and Derek Jeter had to pay for one at Yankee Stadium.

There's no indication that the suite is the reason Soto picked the Mets offer, but when the deals he was contemplating were that close, the smallest detail in the contract could make the difference.

The Mets did frontload Soto's deal to pay him nearly $122 million in 2025 between his base salary and signing bonus.

In keeping the No. 22, Soto apparently got a deal done with Mets third baseman Brett Baty to use the number. He also had to buy out the remaining allotment of Baty No. 22 merchandise, per a rule in the MLB collective bargaining agreement.

The deal includes a unique opt-out in which Soto could become a free agent after the 2029 season, but the Mets can negate the opt-out by increasing his annual salary by $4 million to bring the total value of the deal to $805 million.

It's a similar clause that Gerrit Cole had in his contract with the Yankees. He had the ability to opt out after the 2024 season, but the Yankees could negate it by agreeing to add one year and $36 million to his deal.

Cole initially used his opt out before changing his mind to remain under contract through 2028.

It would seem unlikely that Soto is going to opt out because he would be leaving 10 years and up to $500 million on the table, but he will only be 31 at the time he has to decide. Depending on where he's at in his career and where the market for top-tier hitters is at by that point, it might be in his best financial interest to test free agency again.

But that's all to be determined in the future. Mets fans can merely sit back and relax knowing they have arguably the best hitter in MLB on their roster for at least the next five seasons.

The New York Mets signed superstar free agent Juan Soto to a massive 15-year, $765 million deal that doesn't include any deferred money, a decision that—for better or perhaps for worse—will define the organization for years to come.

"This is a seminal moment in franchise history," team owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. "Juan Soto is a generational talent. He is not only bringing staggering historical statistics with him but also a championship pedigree. Our Amazin' fan base is very excited to welcome Juan to Queens. Congratulations, Juan."

The plucky Mets reached the NL Championship Series this past season in what was expected to be something of a retooling campaign following the disappointments of 2023 and the trades that sent away Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. The eventual champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, ended the run.

But the Mets clearly saw an opportunity to build on that season, adding Soto to pair with Francisco Lindor and the rest of the team's core. Longtime franchise staple Pete Alonso may not stick around in the process, with his own free agency ongoing. But the Mets will gladly take a perennial MVP candidate over a player in Alonso who hasn't posted an OPS above .900 since his rookie campaign.

Soto, meanwhile, has eclipsed the mark in six of his eight seasons, including last year.

Juan Soto will reportedly wear No. 22 with the New York Mets after all.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported Wednesday that Soto's deal with the National League East team allows for him to wear the only jersey number he has ever known in Major League Baseball.

That is notable because Christian Arnold of the New York Post explained in a Tuesday story that Soto might have to work out a deal with Brett Baty to take the No. 22.

What's more, a rule in the collective bargaining agreement stated that Soto or someone on his behalf would have needed to purchase the existing inventory of Baty No. 22 jerseys and memorabilia to facilitate the number switch.

Alas, the situation seems to have been resolved, and the four-time All-Star will wear the same number he did with the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com noted the 15-year, $765 million contract was finalized Wednesday following a physical. It features a full no-trade clause, a $75 million signing bonus, no deferred money and an opt-out after five years.

However, the Mets could void that opt-out clause if they increase the average annual value of the final 10 years from $51 million to $55 million.

Such a commitment will put Soto firmly under the spotlight as the Mets pursue a World Series title, but he has done nothing but thrive thus far with a resume that includes a championship, batting title, five Silver Sluggers and four All-Star selections at just 26 years old.

After snagging the biggest name in free agency by signing outfielder Juan Soto, the New York Mets could next focus on building their rotation.

The Mets are slated to meet with Nick Pivetta's representatives on Wednesday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Pivetta recorded a 4.14 ERA in 27 appearances (26 starts) and 145.2 innings pitched for the Boston Red Sox last season.

He struck out 172 batters, allowing 128 hits and 36 walks through 145.2 innings on the mound. His strikeout rate ranked in the 88th percentile of the MLB, per Baseball Savant.

The Mets are seeking to bolster a rotation that could lose both Luis Severino and Sean Manaea to free agency this winter.

Severino recently signed a two-year, $67 million deal with a player option for 2027 with the Oakland Athletics. Manaea also received an offer from the A's, per MLB insider Jon Heyman.

The Mets, meanwhile, have been making moves of their own in the offseason pitching market.

The club was named a favorite to acquire Garret Crochet from the Chicago White Sox, although he ultimately went to the Red Sox, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The team has also been tied to free-agent pitcher Walker Buehler.

The Mets have also submitted a pitch for Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki, per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.

How far the club gets in the Sasaki bidding war is up to the pitcher. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Tuesday that the club would now wait to see if Sasaki reaches out after seeing their pitch, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Sasaki's salary for next season will be subject to international bonus pool restrictions. That makes him a good match for a team that has "been reluctant to commit significant dollars to any single starting pitcher," as noted by DiComo.

DiComo reported that this hesitancy meant it was "always unlikely" that the Mets would sign a star free agent like Max Fried or Corbin Burnes.

But that doesn't mean the Mets don't plan to build their rotation this offseason. According to DiComo, the franchise is "hyper-motivated to add more pitching."

The Mets would face a draft penalty if they sign Pivetta, who declined a qualifying offer by the Red Sox. Given that the club is "willing to part with their top prospects if necessary" to build to their rotation, per DiComo, it's easy to imagine the club might be willing to give up the compensatory pick if they believe Pivetta is a good fit in Queens.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen wasn't the only notable figure within the organization who made a big purchase this week.

The Wall Street Journal's Katherine Clarke reported Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor entered into a contract to purchase a $20 million penthouse in Manhattan.

Lindor still has seven year to run on his $341 million contract, so getting the money together for the purchase probably wasn't an issue.

The four-time All-Star is coming off his best season since signing with the Mets. He had 33 home runs, 91 RBI and a .273/.344/.500 slash line. His 7.8 WAR ranked sixth among all position players at FanGraphs.

Lindor's performance and the Mets' run to the NLCS helped to cement him as an elite MLB talent again.

Now, he won't be the only one calling Citi Field home after the team reportedly agreed to a record-setting $765 million deal with Juan Soto. Signing Soto, and luring him away from the New York Yankees in the process, was a major coup that could shift the balance of power in the Big Apple.