Mets' Updated Payroll, Starting Lineup After Juan Soto's MLB Record $765M Contract

After an intense bidding war for star outfielder Juan Soto, the New York Mets triumphed over several other contending teams.

The New York Mets and Soto agreed to a 15-year, $765 contract. The outstanding deal is the largest in professional sports history, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan

The Mets currently have a projected payroll of $182.2 million for the 2025 season, according to Spotrac. With the addition of Soto, that figure is expected to rise by an average of $51 million.

Potential Batting Order

1. SS Francisco Lindor
2. RF Juan Soto
3. 1B Mark Vientos
4. LF Brandon Nimmo
5. DH Starling Marte
6. C Francisco Alvarez 
7. 2B Jeff McNeil
8. CF Jose Siri
9. 3B Brett Baty

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported that Soto's contract includes an opt-out after year five.

After spending just one year in The Bronx, he is moving across town to Queens. With the Yankees last season, Soto was voted to the AL All-Star team as a starter and hit .288/.419/.569 with a career-high 41 homers.

The 26-year-old joins Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout as the only other current players with contracts surpassing $400 million, with Soto's deal greatly exceeding both of theirs.

The hype around Soto is nothing new as he previously turned down a 15-year, $440 million extension with the Washington Nationals in 2022 that prompted the organization to trade him to San Diego. That contract would have been the richest in MLB history by total value at the time.

Prior to Soto signing with the Mets, shortstop Lindor boasted the highest salary, signing a ten-year, $341 million contract in 2022.