Juan Soto and the New York Mets agreed to a record $765 million, 15-year contract Sunday night, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the agreement hadn’t been announced and was subject to the completion of a successful physical.
It’s the 12th contract worth at least $325 million in Major League Baseball. Here are the rest. Figures were obtained by The Associated Press from player and management sources and include all guaranteed income but not income from potential incentive bonuses. There is no distinction for deferred money:
Juan Soto, N.Y. Mets, 2025-2039, $765 million
Soto’s deal easily surpassed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million agreement from the prior winter for what’s believed to be the biggest in sports history, and Soto’s contract doesn’t include any deferred payments. He turned down Washington’s $440 million, 15-year offer in 2022, was later traded to San Diego and then the New York Yankees before reaching free agency at just 26 years old. Soto is the most accomplished free agent at that age since shortstop Alex Rodriguez agreed to a record $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas in December 2000 at age 25.
Shohei Ohtani, L.A. Dodgers, 2024-33, $700 million
Because it includes $680 million in deferred money payable from 2034-43, the deal Ohtani agreed to as a free agent is valued differently in various methods. For the luxury tax, it is discounted at 4.33% and listed as about $46.08 million annually. The players’ association discounted it at 5% and valued it at approximately $43.7 million. For MLB regular payrolls, it is discounted 10% and listed at about $28.2 million.
Ohtani won his first World Series title and third MVP award in the deal’s first year after hitting .310 with an NL-best 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 1.036 OPS. He stole 59 bases, becoming the first 50-50 player. He is expected to return to pitching in 2025 after recovering from elbow surgery.
Mike Trout, L.A. Angels, 2019-30, $426.5 million
Trout won his third AL MVP award in the first year of a contract agreed to in March 2019, but the 11-time All-Star has played in just 266 games over the last four seasons because of a strained right calf, back spasms, broken left hand and torn meniscus in left knee. His hitting .281 in six seasons of the contract with 138 homers, 306 RBIs and a .995 OPS.
Mookie Betts, L.A. Dodgers, 2021-32, $365 million
Betts agreed to the deal in July 2020, five months after he was acquired from Boston, and helped the Dodgers win titles in 2020 and 2024. An eight-time All-Star, Betts is hitting .283 with 116 homers, 322 RBIs, 52 stolen bases and an .899 OPS in the first four years of the deal.
Aaron Judge, N.Y. Yankees, 2023-31, $360 million
Judge agreed to the deal after becoming a free agent and then was appointed Yankees captain. Judge earned his fifth and sixth All-Star selections in the first two years of the contract, hitting .300 with 95 homers, 219 RBIs, 221 walks and an 1.104 OPS. He helped the Yankees reach the 2024 World Series, their first appearance since winning the 2009 title.
Manny Machado, San Diego, 2023-33, $350 million
Machado signed a $300 million, 10-year contract with the Padres as a free agent in February 2019 that gave him the right to opt out after the 2023 season and forfeit $150 million. The Padres gave him the new deal in March 2023, raising their commitment to him to $470 million over 14 seasons. He has a .275 average with 167 homers and 536 RBIs in six seasons with the Padres, earning two All-Star selections that raised his career total to six. He has a .267 average with 59 homers and 196 RBIs in the first two seasons of his latest deal.