NEW YORK — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone.
When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen’s house in Beverly Hills, California, for a presentation last month, the team unveiled a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver.
“Everything that they showed me, what they have, what they want to do, it was incredible,” Soto said. “But my favorite part was the video.”
Soto was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, he was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and agent Scott Boras. Security men in gray suits wearing earpieces were off to the side.
The slugger walked in led by Boras, wearing a dark suit, black turtle neck shirt and gold chain with his No. 22. Soto picked the Mets over the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
His deal includes a luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games, all for free, and personal team security for the four-time All-Star and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games.
“My family is really important for me. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have been here,” Soto said. “It’s one of the biggest things.”
Boras had asked for those sweeteners.
“We included it at the beginning,” Cohen said. “He made a request and we were happy to provide.”
The crosstown Yankees, who reached the World Series for the first time since 2009 in part because of Soto, refused to consider the concept.
“Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” general manager Brian Cashman said.
Cohen purchased the Mets ahead of the 2021 season and has boosted them to baseball’s highest payroll in search of the team’s first title since 1986 - when the World Series MVP, like Soto, wore No. 22 - Ray Knight. The owner thanked his son, Josh, for helping create the video and commended his 93-year-old father-in-law Ralph for attending the first get-together with Soto.
While other teams met Soto at the Pendry Newport Beach, a hotel just a five-minute drive from Boras Corp.’s office, Cohen asked to host the session at one of his homes.
“If we’re going to some restaurant, I didn’t know what the atmosphere would be,” Cohen said. “Food’s better at my house.”
Cohen and Soto met again Friday at another of the owner’s homes in Boca Raton, Florida. Soto wanted to know how many championships Cohen expects over the next decade?
“I said I’d like to win two to four,” the owner recalled.
The value of Soto’s contract eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Its length topped Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year agreement with San Diego that runs through 2034. The 26-year-old Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year and has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven seasons with Washington, San Diego and the Yankees.
Boras wouldn’t discuss who finished second in the bidding in Soto’s mind.
“When you’re at a wedding, you don’t talk about the bridesmaids,” he said.
Soto made the decision Sunday while at home with his family. Boras referred to the group as the “Soto Supreme Court” defined as “mother, sister, father - he’s got a wide group. I think he may have eight or nine uncles.”
“My information requests and such were rather unique,” Boras said, detailing that his team asked for OPS by ballpark. Soto’s 1.175 at Citi Field is his highest at any stadium where he’s played 15 or more games.
Soto cited Cohen’s relationship with Mets stars Francisco Lindor and Edwin Díaz as a factor in his mind.
“They are kind of like (a tight) family, a family that wants to win but they definitely want to take care of their players and their families,” Soto said.
Cohen had his wife Alex and father-in-law attend the initial meeting to emphasize kinship.
“My father-in-law is at every game, every home game,” Cohen said. “I wanted him to see how important baseball is to this family. And Alex grew up with one TV in an apartment and that Met game was on every night.”
Cohen relishes owning the Mets. He spoke earlier in the day to a town hall at his hedge fund.
“Whenever you meet somebody, they want to talk about the Mets before they talk about financial markets,” he said.
Soto’s success will be determined by World Series titles. The Yankees have 27, the Mets two.
“It’s such a big city, right? There’s plenty of room for both of us,” Cohen said.
Soto had a more direct definition.
“Championships is going to tell you if it’s a Yankees or Mets town at the end of the day,” he said.
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