‘Holy Overpay!’: Record-Breaking $765M Sports Deal Goes to ‘Traitor’ Who ‘Doesn’t Deserve It’

Part of the allure of sports is watching people do what almost no one else can. Of course, because the skills are so rare, athletes are compensated handsomely. The deal MLB outfielder Juan Soto is signing with the New York Mets is on a whole other level, though.

Following a World Series appearance with the New York Yankees, Soto hit the free agent market and became one of the most sought-after players in the sport’s history. Only a few teams were able to make competitive offers, the Yankees, Mets, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and Los Angeles Dodgers. In the end, Soto chose the Mets, whose owner, Steve Cohen, has no problem signing massive checks.

Soto will receive $765 million over 15 years, and that number can get over $800 million if he decides not to opt-out after the fifth year of the deal in 2029. It’s the largest deal in the history of sports, passing Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract from last season. However, unlike Ohtani, who is a two-way player, Soto’s only above-average at the plate, leaving social media to feel like the Mets just overpaid for their newest star.

“of all the players in professional sports history, Juan Soto isn’t even close to one that deserves the biggest contract in history,” said one X user.

“He’s great man but absolutely not worth that,” added another.

Related: Iconic WWE Hall of Famer Set to Make Long-Awaited Return to Live TV Soon

Even when drowning out the reactions from Yankees fans, who feel slighted after their team missed out on a superstar who is a perfect compliment to Aaron Judge, there are still plenty of people who can’t wrap their heads around the contract. And while, yes, it’s a ton of money, context is missing in these arguments that explains why the final number is as large as it is.

For starters, Soto is a generational talent. Since he made his debut in 2018 with the Washington Nationals, no one in the MLB has had a better command of the strike zone. In his career, he has nearly 100 more walks than strikeouts, which feels impossible these days. He can also hit for power, averaging 25 home runs per season and over 35 in his last two.

The other thing people seem to forget is that Soto is only 26 years old. It’s rare for a player as young and as good as him to hit the open market, and when they do, they’re going to cash in for as long as they can. And when Ohtani, who is three years older than Soto, signed for $700 million, there’s no doubt that the outfielder and his management took notice and knew that was a number they wanted to surpass.

It’s not Soto’s fault that the current market for superstars is what it is, and while his contract is likely to stand as the largest for a number of years, someone will come along one day and get even more. So, people should get used to it, especially because, more likely than not, they will live to see an athlete sign a contract worth over $1 billion.