The offseason drama surrounding Juan Soto‘s destination dominating headlines. After a solid performance with the New York Yankees in 2024, Soto is now the subject of intense speculation. One team keeps popping up in rumors — the New York Mets. Even before he officially opted for free agency, the Mets were seen as a likely suitor, and the whispers grew louder. It was revealed that Soto recently met with Mets owner Steve Cohen in Los Angeles.

But when Cohen was asked about the potential pursuit of the former World Series champion, he offered a classic non-answer. Mets fans are in no doubt hoping that Soto will join the ranks of stars in Queens. Cohen has opened his wallet for big names in the past. The question is, will the Mets pull the trigger and make a run at one of the game’s best hitters, or will Soto find himself elsewhere in 2025? 

The Mets’ confuse fans with their answer 

Steve Cohen’s noncommittal comments about the Mets’ pursuit of Juan Soto have only added fuel to the fire of speculation. At an event for the New York Golf Club’s inaugural season on Monday, Cohen was asked about Soto and responded cryptically, saying, “We’re going to find out. It’s either going to be yes or no, there’s no in-between, time will tell.” His lack of a definitive answer has amused MLB fans, who are already closely following the drama surrounding Soto’s potential move. This comment felt particularly confusing as execs believe the Mets are the “clear-cut” favorites to land Soto.

Steve Cohen and a group of high-ranking Mets officials made a significant move earlier this month. They traveled to Los Angeles for what was described as a “very detailed” and productive meeting with Juan Soto and his agent, Scott Boras. The financials weren’t on the table during this initial sit-down. The focus was on building rapport and understanding each other better. It’s reported that the Mets are among five teams who have already made official offers.

Still the Mets are favorites to land Juan Soto

Steve Cohen took ownership of the New York Mets at the end of the 2020 season. The transformation of the franchise after that was immediate. Cohen’s first major move was acquiring superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor. That set the tone for the Mets to become one of the league’s biggest spenders. Since then, the Mets have made a series of bold moves.   

This winter, the Mets are once again making waves. This time chasing the biggest free-agent name on the market — Juan Soto. Cohen, whose net worth is an eye-popping $21.3 billion according to Forbes, has the financial firepower to outbid virtually anyone in the game. That could give the Mets a significant edge in the Soto sweepstakes. While the Yankees have long been linked to Soto, Cohen’s deep pockets and relentless pursuit of top talent have made the Mets the team to watch in this high-stakes chase.

As Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported, rival MLB executives are now looking at the Mets as the most likely team to land Soto. Thanks in part to Cohen’s willingness to go all-in on the bidding war. If the Mets do manage to pry Soto away from their crosstown rivals, it would be a statement move. It would signal that New York’s other team is ready to build a championship contender. The Mets aren’t afraid to flex their financial muscle in the process.