The offseason-long buzz around superstar Juan Soto potentially joining the Mets continues to grow louder and louder.
Executives around the league went as far as telling USA Today’s Bob Nightengale this week that they view the Mets as the “clear-cut favorites” to sign the 26-year-old slugger in free agency due to Steve Cohen’s willingness to outbid the rest of the suitors.
Whether or not that’ll end up being the case remains to be seen.
Though he didn’t provide much of a comment on the matter, Cohen was asked about the team’s pursuit of Soto during an event for the New York Golf Club’s inaugural season on Monday.
“We’re going to find out,” he said. “It’s either going to be yes or no, there’s no in-between, time will tell.”
Cohen headlined a contingent of high-ranking Mets officials who traveled down to Los Angeles for a “very detailed” and productive meeting with Soto and agent Scott Boras during the first stage of their selection process earlier this month.
Financials weren’t discussed during those sit-downs, which were more so about the two sides getting to know each other, but New York is said to be among five teams who have submitted an official offer this week.
As noted by Nightengale, Cohen’s desire to win and flexible payroll has the Mets continuing to sit among the frontrunners in the sweepstakes, but the owner is confident they’ll be fine even if things don’t break their way.
“We’ll see,” he said. “We built a great team last year, I fully expect to do the same this year.”
