Soto chose the Mets over several other suitors, including the New York Yankees, who reportedly offered him a 16-year, $760 million contract. Other finalists for Soto included the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers.

While the Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Red Sox were all said to be offering contracts in the $700 million range, the Dodgers were not in the same ballpark. Prior to Soto’s decision, it had been reported that the Dodgers were prepared to offer around $600 million, with The Athletic later confirming that $600 million was the highest they were willing to go.

The Dodgers had already made headlines last offseason when they signed Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal, which at the time was the largest contract in MLB history. However, Soto’s new deal with the Mets surpassed that record by a significant margin. While the Dodgers were clearly interested in adding Soto to their World Series-winning roster, they were not prepared to engage in a bidding war for his services. As a result, they were never considered the favorites to land the superstar outfielder.

Even though they missed out on Soto, the Dodgers were still active in the market, signing former Mets and San Francisco Giants outfielder Michael Conforto to a one-year deal. The move addressed the team’s need for a left-handed power bat in the outfield, which had been a key priority during the offseason.

Meanwhile, the market for free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández grew more competitive following Soto’s signing. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, both of whom were pursuing Soto, are now expected to shift their attention to Hernández. The Blue Jays are also rumored to be interested in adding the 31-year-old slugger, further intensifying his market in the wake of Soto’s record-breaking contract.