Juan Soto, the highly sought-after outfielder, embarked on a journey to determine the extent of success his prospective new team patriarch envisioned if he signed with the Mets. During one of the two lunch meetings with Steve Cohen during his free-agency tour last month, this question became prominent. Soto understood that the expectation was to win, but the degree over the next 10 years was a crucial aspect.

Steve Cohen's Vision for the Mets

Cohen informed Soto that he aimed to win two to four World Series titles over the next decade. Soto respected this aspiration. With a record 15-year deal worth $765 million, including a $75 million signing bonus and no deferrals, Soto joined the Mets. The Mets have the option to nullify his opt-out by raising his AAV from $51 million to $55 million after the 2029 season. Additionally, there are bonuses for winning the MVP award.This decision was not easy for Soto, who was also pursued by the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. He faced a tough choice during a stressful process and was unsure which offer to accept until the end. In his one season with the Yankees, he hit a career-high 41 homers and helped the team reach the World Series. The Yankees offered $760 million over 16 years.

The Pursuit and Decision

Soto expressed, "They did everything in their power to help me out, to bring me back. I had four other teams trying to do the same thing and in trying to make me feel comfortable. At the end, we looked at everything, we looked at the chances and looked at what everybody wants to do for the next 15 years and I think we have the best chance to do it over here."Cohen had long coveted Soto. So much so that David Stearns, the president of baseball operations, acknowledged that Soto's free agency this winter was discussed by Cohen when he was courting Stearns in the summer of 2023 to head the Mets' front office.

Building a Championship Team

Stearns said, "We talked about some of the generational players in our game and the difficulty of accessing some of those generational players and certainly Juan is one of them. You never know exactly where this is going to go and if he's going to get a [contract] extension of some sort, but we did know if he was going to be a free agent, we were going to make a very strong push."Cohen had his doubts the deal would materialize even after agreeing to provide a luxury suite for Soto's family. It wasn't until hours before the news broke Sunday night that Soto was headed to the Mets that Cohen knew he had his man. "If you want something that is amazing, it's going to be uncomfortable," Cohen said, referring to Soto's contract. "I always stretch a little bit because I know what it takes to get it done."The Mets now have a cornerstone in Soto to team with Francisco Lindor, taking a giant leap for New York's National League franchise that has long played in the shadow of the Yankees.Soto was asked if his arrival in Queens signifies that New York belongs to the Mets. He responded, "It's been a Mets town for a long time, so I think we have just got to bring it to the top. Championships is going to tell you whether it's a Yankees or Mets town."Stearns also mentioned that the franchise's future was a significant topic in his conversations with Soto before he signed. "We talked a lot about roster building and the young talent that we have coming," Stearns said. "And our ability to continuously supplement our major league team with ownership resources while also investing heavily in the minor league system. Juan has certainly been around enough organizations and around the league that he's got a pretty good feel of what leads to sustainable competitiveness."