Steve Cohen Admits He Didn't Think Juan Soto Would Sign with Mets: 'I Was Blown Away'

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen divulged Thursday that he did not expect superstar outfielder Juan Soto to sign with the Mets in free agency.

Speaking to ESPN's Buster Olney and Jeff Passan, Cohen said: "Usually I'm pretty good at reading the signals. This one I totally missed. [Soto's agent] Scott [Boras] called me, and I realized, 'Holy s--t. This could happen.' I didn't expect it. I had no expectations it was going to happen. I was blown away."

Cohen won a bidding war that is believed to have come down to the Mets and New York Yankees, as Soto inked a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with the National League side.

The 26-year-old Soto spent parts of his first five MLB seasons with the Washington Nationals, winning a World Series in 2019. The Nats then traded him to the San Diego Padres during the 2022 campaign when it became clear they weren't going to be able to get a long-term deal done.

Following the 2023 season, the Padres traded Soto to the Yankees for a package that included pitcher Michael King, catcher Kyle Higashioka and three pitching prospects.

It was a risky deal for the Yanks since Soto was about to enter the final year of his contract, but it ended up paying dividends for both Soto and the Yankees.

In his only season in the Bronx, Soto slashed .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs, 109 RBI and 128 runs scored. He was named an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger Award and finished third in American League MVP voting.

Soto also played a huge role in the Yankees reaching the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Soto's success in pinstripes coupled with the Yankees' financial resources suggested that the Bronx Bombers would be favored to keep him, but Cohen dipped into his considerable wealth to make the Mets major players as well.

Ultimately, Soto signed the highest-dollar contract in MLB history with the Mets, giving them one of the league's top 1-2 punches in their lineup between him and shortstop Francisco Lindor.

Last season, the Mets exceeded expectations and were well ahead of schedule, as they made it all the way to the National League Championship Series where they fell to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

With Soto now in the fold, it is fair to wonder if the Mets may have the firepower needed to take down the Dodgers, who are the clear 2025 World Series favorites.