Steve Cohen succinctly summarized the Mets’ chances of landing Juan Soto

The New York Mets are among the favorites to land Juan Soto in free agency, and team owner Steve Cohen isn’t hiding it. Meeting with reporters on Monday, he offered no new information about the team’s pursuit of their cross-town rival’s superstar. He did, however, make it clear that Soto is a priority.

Steve Cohen was asked what his message to Mets fans would be about Juan Soto:

"We're gonna find out. It's either yes or no. There's no in between and time will tell" pic.twitter.com/id3B5vcnF1

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) November 25, 2024

“We’re gonna find out. It’s either yes or no,” he said of the team’s chances to acquire Soto. “There’s no in-between and time will tell.”

That comes just a few days after former MLB GM Jim Bowden declared the Mets his favorite to win the Soto sweepstakes.

“If Cohen wants him, he will make the highest bid,” Bowden said. “And if he does that and no other team matches it, I think he’s getting his man.”

Not many would dispute Bowden’s belief that Cohen will make the highest bid – it’s what he’s known for. And hearing Cohen’s statement on Monday, it seems to indicate he has a number in mind. For now, all we can do is speculate about what that number is. Almost daily, baseball writers weigh in with a different scenario for Soto and a different gigantic number he could sign for, ranging from around $500 million to well over $700 million.

If Cohen ultimately offers something on that upper end, it’s hard to see another team — particularly the Yankees or Red Sox — matching.

Is the race for Juan Soto down to the Mets, Yankees, and 2 others?

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale seems to think the race for Soto is between four teams.

“There really are only four teams that are seriously in play for Soto,” he wrote on Monday. “The Mets, the Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox.”

Cohen will throw everything he has at Soto and the Yankees have the advantage of being his home for 2024, while the team made a run to the World Series.  As for the Blue Jays, Nightengale believes the team needs to “dramatically outbid” the Mets to have a chance. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal added that with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette entering their final years of team control, it’s possible that Soto would see Toronto as too much of a risk. As he put it, Soto could get “stuck in a bad situation.”

Soto met with the Red Sox last week, as the Boston brass answered his questions on player evaluation, commitment to winning, and facilities. The two sides reportedly did not discuss contract figures.