NL East

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.

The Philadelphia Phillies "touched base" with Teoscar Hernández after he hit free agency following his World Series win with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb.

According to Gelb, the expectation around MLB is that Hernández will instead re-sign with the Dodgers.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has previously indicated that one of the Phillies' offseason priorities is to find a new left or center fielder in free agency (h/t MLB.com's Todd Zolecki).

Hernández represents one of the top outfielders hitting free agency this winter outside of the New York Mets' Juan Soto. The Toronto Blue Jays are interested in signing him, general manager Ross Atkins confirmed on Monday.

The Boston Red Sox are also expected to pursue Hernández, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Hernández might not be the only outfielder the Phillies are competing for this winter. Philadelphia has also "inquired and tried to find a package that would work" in a potential trade for Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman.

The New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants are also interested in acquiring Tucker, according to Sherman.

Dombrowski has indicated that the Phillies will prioritize an addition at left field, given that Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh could conceivably slot in at center, according to Gelb.

"So when I say upgrade, I've always said left field or center field because we could play Marsh in center field. Or Rojas," Dombrowski said, per Gelb. "I can't say that we'll end up doing that. I do not know at this point."

The Phillies' NLDS loss to the New York Mets may have influenced Dombrowski's urgency to make a change in the outfield. Both Marsh and Rojas, who combined for two hits and no runs in the series, were non-factors on offense as the Phillies were eliminated in five games.

Hernández meanwhile followed up his career-high 33 home runs in the 2024 season with three more postseason homers to help the Dodgers clinch the title.

That postseason success makes Hernández an appealing candidate for a Phillies team looking to get back to the World Series for the first time since losing to the Astros in 2022. But Hernández has indicated he wants to return to the Dodgers, and no MLB club is better at finding ways to pay as many star players as possible.

The Phillies may have to turn their attention toward Tucker or other candidates including free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander as they look to get more production from their outfield in 2025.

The third-ever MLB draft lottery favored the Washington Nationals as they earned the first overall pick on Tuesday.

The @Nationals have won the #MLBDraft Lottery and will select first in the 2025 MLB Draft. pic.twitter.com/e5VKOqlrrF

— MLB (@MLB) December 10, 2024

The Nationals had the fourth-best odds of winning the lottery at 10.2 percent. It will be the third time Washington has drafted first overall.

The Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins had the best odds to get the first overall pick at 22.45 percent each. The Los Angeles Angels, Nationals and Toronto Blue Jays were just behind them followed by the rest of the teams that didn't reach the postseason.

Despite having a historically bad record, the Chicago White Sox were ineligible for a lottery pick because they won a lottery pick last year and are a payor club, which prevents back-to-back seasons with a lottery pick, per MLB.com. The same logic applies to the Oakland Athletics. Those two teams can't get a pick earlier than 10th or 11th.

Here's a look at the complete draft order of the first round.

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2024 MLB Draft (Round 1 Order)

1. Washington Nationals

2. Los Angeles Angels

3. Seattle Mariners

4. Colorado Rockies

5. St. Louis Cardinals

6. Pittsburgh Pirates

7. Miami Marlins

8. Toronto Blue Jays

9. Cincinnati Reds

10. Chicago White Sox

11. Oakland Athletics

12. Texas Rangers

13. San Francisco Giants

14. Tampa Bay Rays

15. Boston Red Sox

16. Minnesota Twins

17. Chicago Cubs

18. Arizona Diamondbacks

19. Baltimore Orioles

20. Milwaukee Brewers

21. Houston Astros

22. Atlanta Braves

23. Kansas City Royals

24. Detroit Tigers

25. San Diego Padres

26. Philadelphia Phillies

27. Cleveland Guardians

28. New York Mets

29. New York Yankees

30. Los Angeles Dodgers

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There are plenty of exciting prospects from the collegiate and high school ranks for the Nationals to choose from, but Ethan Holliday might be the most intriguing.

Holliday is the son of MLB legend Matt Holiday and the younger brother of Jackson Holliday, who went first overall in the 2022 draft to the Baltimore Orioles. Should the Nats take Holliday, it would make him and Jackson the first brothers ever to both go No. 1 in the MLB draft.

Holliday, who currently plays shortstop, stands at 6'4" and 200 pounds which could lead to him moving over to third base upon reaching the majors. That frame gives him both a strong arm and power at the plate, making him hard to pass up for Washington.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter and MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo both list Holliday as the top prospect for the 2025 MLB draft.

Jace LaViolette could be the first player off the board from the collegiate ranks. The Texas A&M outfielder had a .305 batting average and 1.175 OPS a season ago, slugging 29 home runs and 78 RBI. He helped lead the Aggies to a College World Series appearance, where they fell to Tennessee.

Lottery teams wanting to draft a pitcher should look no further than Florida State's Jamie Arnold. The lefty starter had a 2.98 ERA in his second year with the Seminoles, posting 159 strikeouts and a 1.098 WHIP on his way to an 11-3 record.

It's never easy identifying which prospect will emerge as the top out of his class, but the Nationals have done well in identifying talent in the past. The first time they had the No. 1 overall pick in 2009 they selected Stephen Strasburg. A year later, they picked Bryce Harper with the top pick.

If Washington has similar success this year, it could mean another star on its roster.

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.

Exclusive: Baseball star Francisco Lindor, shortstop for the New York Mets, is in contract to purchase a penthouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side for roughly $20 million https://t.co/uLG8OaidN7

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 10, 2024

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.

It's a good thing Juan Soto has $765 million coming to his bank account from the New York Mets because that will make it easier for him to get the No. 22 jersey from new teammate Brett Baty if he wants to keep using the number.

Per Christian Arnold of the New York Post, Soto would first need to work out a deal with Baty to be able to wear 22 with the Mets.

Even if that ends up happening, Soto would then need to purchase the existing merchandise inventory with Baty's name and number on it, per a rule in the collective bargaining agreement.

The rule stipulates that player number changes must be requested by July 31 of the previous season, but there are two possible exceptions available. One is the already-listed method of purchasing the remaining inventory.

The other is if the player who previously wore the number changes teams, which doesn't apply in this situation since Baty is still on the Mets.

The situation arose last year when Carlos Santana signed with the Minnesota Twins and had a deal with Joe Ryan to wear No. 41. MLB informed Santana he would have to pay $225,000 to buy out the remaining No. 41 merchandise with Ryan's name on it.

Santana instead decided to wear No. 30 with the Twins rather than pay the amount.

There is always the possibility the Mets could decide to trade Baty. He only appeared in 50 games last season and has hit .215/.282/.325 in 577 plate appearances over 162 games in the past three years.

The Mets do have potential options at third base. Mark Vientos is currently on track to be the starting first baseman with Pete Alonso being a free agent, but he could stay at the hot corner if the team signs someone to play first.

Assuming Baty remains on the Mets, it will be up to Soto to decide if he wants to pay to keep wearing No. 22. The 26-year-old has used the number for his entire MLB career, but he used No. 10 and 25 in the minors with the Washington Nationals.

The No. 25 is currently available for the Mets. Ronny Mauricio wore No. 10 for the team in 2023, but he missed all of last season due to a torn ACL.

Soto has more than enough money to pay for the allotment of Baty jerseys if he really wants to keep his old number. His deal with the Mets could end up topping out at $805 million with escalators. The salary includes a $75 million signing bonus.

Given all of the amenities that Mets owner Steve Cohen gave Soto in his contract—including use of a suite at Citi Field for his family—it seems highly unlikely that anything will prevent him from keeping No. 22 if he wants to keep it.

After securing superstar free agent Juan Soto on Saturday night, the New York Mets are now talking to New York Yankees pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

"The righty fits two criteria that have value right now with the Mets — he has strong ties to Carlos Mendoza from their years together with the Yankees and is the kind of potential low-buy, high-ceiling bullpen arm that David Stearns gravitates toward," Sherman said.

Loáisiga underwent season-ending elbow surgery in April after appearing in just three games for the Yankees. He has a career 3.44 ERA, with 207 strikeouts, 84 earned runs, and a 2.9 K/BB ratio.

The 30-year-old specializes in heavy sinkers and induces a lot of ground balls, much like his former Yankees teammate-turned-Met counterpart Clay Holmes. Along with Holmes, Soto, and newly re-signed pitcher Frankie Montas, the Mets have become a Yankees 2.0 destination, with Harrison Bader, Adam Ottavino, Luis Severino and Luis Torrens all on the Mets' 2024 roster from the Yankees.

In addition to the Mets, Loáisiga is also drawing interest from the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Blue Jays as well as the Yankees sources to ESPN.

His return from injury is expected to go well, as it is believed he will receive a big contract before the season to be a bullpen member.

"His electric stuff, headlined by a 98 mph sinker, makes him an attractive bullpen weapon for clubs expecting to contend," wrote ESPN's Jorge Castillo.

After landing the biggest star in free agency, the New York Mets are shifting their focus to retaining one of their current stars.

The team signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal Sunday and is hoping to re-sign star first baseman Pete Alonso.

"We'd love to bring Pete (Alonso) back," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said, per Newsday's Tim Healy.

When asked whether Alonso would fit into the Mets' budget after the Soto signing, Stearns seemed confident the team's ownership could make it happen.

"I think our ownership has consistently demonstrated that there's going to be resources when we need them," Stearns said. "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."

David Stearns was asked if there's room in the Mets' budget for Pete Alonso:

"I think ownership has consistently demonstrated that there's going to be resources when we need them" pic.twitter.com/7LdSy57A1H

— SNY (@SNYtv) December 9, 2024

Soto's massive contract will make a significant impact on the Mets' payroll as they'll have to account for an additional $51 million per year, but owner Steve Cohen proved he's willing to spend if it means putting New York in a place to succeed.

Alonso, who has spent his entire career with the Mets, reportedly declined a seven-year, $158 million extension in 2023, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, likely in hopes of getting a larger deal this offseason.

The 30-year-old hit 34 homers and knocked in 88 RBI in 2024, recording a .240 batting average and .788 OPS. He's had 30 or more home runs in all but one season and will likely field significant offers before he makes his decision.

Before the end of the season, Alonso was linked to the Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. In November, one MLB executive projected him to sign with the Washington Nationals, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Whether Alonso will stick with his current team is to be determined, but Stearns indicated that the Mets are prepared to make him an enticing offer.

Should the Mets retain Alonso, it's hard to imagine he and Soto wouldn't make them an early favorite to make a World Series run. New York reached the NLCS a season ago, and the addition of one of the best players in baseball could be what helps the Mets snap a championship drought that's lasted since 1986.

Juan Soto's first card with his new team is here.

After Soto signed a historic 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets on Sunday, Topps revealed a new autographed card featuring Soto in his new uniform. The card commemorates Soto's signing with the date of his deal, the length of his contract and a note highlighting that his deal is the largest in sports history.

Along with Soto's signature, he also penned "My first Mets Auto" on the card.

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞: Juan Soto’s very first New York Mets card is officially here. 🍎 pic.twitter.com/mfabwA5iIL

— Topps (@Topps) December 9, 2024

While just five autographed cards will be released, the base card is available for purchase for $11.99. Topps noted that any fan who buys the base card will also have a chance to land the rare autographed card with their order.

The Mets won the Soto sweepstakes over his former team, the New York Yankees, along with a handful of other teams, such as the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 26-year-old hit 41 home runs, 109 RBI and recorded a .288 batting average while helping lead the Yankees to the World Series last season. Once he hit free agency, it was only a matter of time before he landed a historic deal.

With the superstar now signed, the Mets are hoping to snap a nearly 40-year championship drought. They took a step in the right direction by reaching the NLCS in 2024, and Soto could be the player to take them to the next level.

Newly signed New York Mets star outfielder Juan Soto reportedly had an unfortunate experience early in his tenure with the New York Yankees.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported during an appearance on MLB Network that Soto had "negative feelings" about an instance in April or May where a Yankees security guide removed one of his parents from an area in Yankee Stadium. The same security guide reportedly also removed Soto's driver and chef later in the year, forcing them to stand outside in the rain.

Heyman noted that he asked Soto about this issue after the Yankees lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

"Soto is a family guy, he was not too happy at the time," Heyman said.

The 26-year-old departed the Yankees after one season to head crosstown and sign a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. The deal is the largest in professional sports history.

Heyman reported on Sunday that the Yankees offered Soto a 16-year, $760 million deal before he chose to sign the more lucrative offer from the Mets. ESPN's Jeff Passan added that Soto's deal with the Mets has escalators that can push it above $800 million and also contains no deferments.

The Yankees were once the dream organization that seemed to land every major star that hit the open market, but that era has long been forgotten. The Bronx Bombers have missed out on multiple big-name free agents over the past few years, which has been a major factor in their struggles to win a 28th World Series title.

After landing Soto, the Mets are now in a position to embark on their own run of dominance. Team owner Steve Cohen has never been shy about spending, so it's not out of the question to imagine more stars joining Soto and company in Queens.